Great Race Inline Half Marathon

Half marathon:

Finally, sun. That was something to be excited about after two days of pouring rain. The race started and after about a mile someone went on a break away. Not sure who it was but I did not worry too much I knew if anything got to drastic me and Anderson would real it in. The pace was pretty high until we got to some hills. At this point the flyer which was at about 350 meters out looked as if he was starting to tire. Once we hit the first hill I through in an attack that was chased by Team Bont. Then in just moments later we came to another hill in which I attacked hard my legs were fatigued as I neared the top from the first burst. I notice that I was not feeling strong because of a lack of hydration from the day before. The pack at this point split to the more experienced skaters. Not the damage that I would hope for. Then Mike Anderson attacked and my legs were very tired from my own attacks. I let the pack chase and then spanned the gap up to Anderson. It was now just me and Anderson and we began to work together to the finish. We are fellow competitors who both have time trial strength. His pulls were strong and I felt weak. Though never out of site of the lead pack we hit the final stretch(2 miles) still out in front. After my pole I think Anderson felt my weakness and put in a real strong pull. My muscles just were not working and it was very frustrating to watch someone I know I could beat skate way from me like nothing. Anderson went onto win the race. A that point nothing really mattered to me much and I skated just fast enough to finish ahead of the lead pack. I almost missed the last turn which would have cost me 2nd place. Anderson deserved the victory because he was the strongest man of the day. I can’t wait to face him at the next one. Danny Fredricks won the field sprint which was very large. The Great race is a top notch event and one of my favorites.

Men 10k1- Mike Anderson (Bont)Peter Starykowicz (TUSA/Rainbo)2- Peter Starykowicz (TUSA/Rainbo)3- Danny Frederick (Team Aloe Up)4- Bobby Piedra (Bont)Women 10k1- Helen Havam(Bont)3- Mechele Bubsy(Bont)
2- Rebecca George

The Great Race Crit

Picture Provided by Peter Doucet

Elkhart Great Race 10k Criterium(Check out the video coming soon)

So there I was talking to everybody when over the loud speaker I hear. “There will be no rec race. Everybody will start together in ten minutes.” I have to change all of my bearings and bolt on my strap ratchet. 10 minutes later I was at the line tieing my laces when the gun went off. With my strap not even tightened I sprint off. Doucet pushed the pace hard and I skated from the back to the pack to third position in a very uneasy first lap. It raining very lightly and the course was soaked. Most of the asphalt was of a very slippery nature. I finally Strapped my skates then got ready for it to get tough. Anderson throws in a strong effort and I latch on to the draft. This race is too short for anyone to be breaking away. Then the relentless attacks came to by doucet. The pack quickly desintigrated until there was only Helen Havam, Herb Gayle, Mike Anderson, Michelle Busby, Peter Doucet, and me. The attacks came again and I remember flying down the front stretch when I here a retched scraping sound echo of the Loud speaker followed by the announcer, “Busby takes a tumble.” Not hard to believe, it was very easy to fall victim to the slippery surface but the speed made it almost impossible not to fall. It got to the point where it was just me and Doucet on every attack. In between the attacks Anderson and Herb Gayle would bearly latch on only to be dropped on the next surge. Doucet was trying tire me out and it was working. Then it came to the last lap in a half. Anderson gets on the back. I expected him to pull hard so that Herb Gayle would not rejoin the group so that he would be assured 3rd place. Anderson did not pull and the game began. At a slow pace we rolled sprawled across the street waiting for someone to make a move. Slow enough to allow Helen Havam and Herb Gayle to rejoin the group. On the front stretch Helen makes a move and skates away from the pack. No one reacts. Finally Doucet takes the lead out position and we slowly follow. The pace was fairly easy and I sat on Doucet contemplating when I would make the move. Mike Anderson and Herb Gayle were both in the draft waiting for the sprint. In the short chute between turn 3 and 4 we passed a fatigued Havam. Then the grippy asphalt of turn four came. I waited for the attack but it was delayed. Then Doucet arms dropped and he quickly accelerated but I was still on his tail. I made my move on the leftand started my fall out sprint at which point I clipped skates with Doucet. Doucet and I both tripped up but only for a moment. Both of us had the bit between the teeth and were sprinting so hard that it is unbelievable we both did not slip to the ground. And then just that happened, The length of the sprint started to sieze the muscles and good form became hard to achieve and then I slipped. At the point I had a two foot lead. I thaught right there and then that I had lost it. Though I kept on pushing and all of a sudden as we races dead even I through the hawk and watch as my foot crossed just inches ahead of Doucet. Herb Gayle took third and Anderson close behind. This was a very exciting race for me and I really respect Doucet as an athlete and I had a great time chasing him. The Great Race is one of the best skating events out there.
Men 10k1- Peter Starykowicz (TUSA/Rainbo)

2- Peter Doucet

3- Herb Gayle (Team Aloe Up)

4- Mike Anderson (Bont)5- Bobby Piedra (Bont)

Women 10k

1- Helen Havam(Bont)

2- Rebecca George

3- Mechele Bubsy(Bont)

Wolverine Inline Marathon

Detroit

I arrived at the hotel at midnight having to get up at 6am. After a quick loosening up midnight roll I went to bed. In the morning as I walked out of my room the ground was dry. This dry condition lasted about 30 seconds at which point it started to rain… Damn. Rain is really not a big issue but the thought of messing up a set of bearings is not favorable in my mind. After registering for a race that they decided to charge $60 for instead of $50 the night before the race, I did a little warm up and waited for the start. Three minutes till race start, ahh! I don’t have my bib number. I made it back with bib just as the gun went off. The first two laps, of eight were pretty easy. I sat there pleasently watching Mike Anderson deliver a respectable break away from the gun. He was out there with a pretty good gap for a while. Then, Peter Doucet kindly brought up the pace putting the hurt in the legs of all competitors to shut Anderson down. Then the trend of Doucet putting in attack after attack began. I did not have my legs with me and I was hurting. I barely was hanging with him and as I looked around it was just Rookard, Mike Anderson, Peter Doucet, and Me. We were splashing through 2-3 inch deep puddles of water that stretched for nearly 50 feet. Then came another acceleration that dropped Rookard. Again it came and I chased, Anderson tight to my wheel. The fatigue was too great and my speed started to falter. My legs just were not at %100 this day. Anderson made the pass and latched on to Doucet. I sat there frustrated with legs that wouldn’t move watching them skate away. I pushed through the pain, accelerated through the turn and just barely got back. I really thought I had cracked and had lost them for good. 30 seconds later another attack came. I felt strong but did not have good position as I was in front and Doucet attacked from the back. I chased and was matching Doucet speed but he had a gap of 10 feet. Not being able to catch the draft I yelled for Anderson to help out but he was as fatigued as I was. That was the winning move and Doucet skated away as we looked at each other. Anderson and I worked together for the rest of the race to catch Peter Doucet but he was the man of the day. We chased for two laps and then with a half a lap to go I through in an attack where I gapped Mike Anderson by 20 feet. I felt his weakness and slowed to dual it out in a sprint. Then the sprint came and we started playing the game of cat and mouse as the rain started to monsoon. I tucked in right behind Anderson and with 150 meters left mounted a sprint. Anderson gave an honest attempt to answer but did not have the sprint. A competitive race though I was not very fond of the sub-par race organization.

Mens Results:

Peter Doucet
Peter Starykowicz
Mike Anderson

Womens Results:

Jilleanne Rookard
Helen Havam
Mechele Busby