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LawBoy01 wrote:

I'm targeting Lago Vista as my first race in the TXBRA series for this
year. It's a hilly SOB, and I've been training with 53/42 and 12-23.
A friend said that is stupid. Is it? Should I be training with gears
that I will actually use in the race, like 53/39 and 13-26?

Carl might have done this one if he was at camp in Texas with the
National Team back in the day.

I don't know any specific training to suggest for Lago, but in my
experience at that race the climbs are not as physically demanding as
they are tactically important.

Lago for you (Cat 4?) will be three to five laps of an 8 mile (?)
circuit with few short steep climbs, rollers with a fair amount of speed
carried between the down and up, and one major roller-coaster drop with
an equally major wall to climb on the other side.

The lower Cats tend to approach the first small climbs slow, and as a
tight pack. With no momentum you'll be working to climb every inch. The
pack will be wall-to-wall (centerline rule enforced by ME on the moto),
bunching up at the bottom of even the easiest climb. There is always
some fumbling for the right gear, chains jumping off and feet unclipping
(big field, early season). If no one falls over, the group will stretch
out as everyone finds their pace. If you didn't move to the front
preemptively, react quickly to the speed change or train hard enough -
you could join the riders typically dropped on the first lap. If you're
in good form and the rubber band snaps back - you'll have a few minutes
to recover before the next stair step on the way to high elevation side
of the loop.

Position yourself and react well to each turn upward and you'll get to
have fun with the group as they make the turn for home on the high end
of the course and gain speed before going through the 50mph 'gravity
well' that defines this course. Carry as much speed as possible from the
turn and into the drop, avoid getting caught behind anyone unprepared
for the wall on the other side, and be in a good gear to finish - you
don't want to get stalled near the top.

There will be a bit of regrouping before the pace will rise again as you
make two final drops down to water level beside the lake, and the last
one propels you into a long flat sprint to the short but steep rise to
the finish line.

Lago is no fun solo (except for a win), so do what you can to hold on.

See you there, or in Frisco if you're helping us with Superdrome
resurfacing.

Mike G.
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