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The past few weeks have been yet another great showing by our Frogs.
The Dismal Dash in Suffolk proved to be a great event for our Frogs. Our tent was full to capacity with all our Frogs warming up together as a team!This course has been a tough one in the past with the wind and sometimes rain. This year proved to be no different. The wind was a factor this year but it did not detour our Frogs.
In each category our Frogs were magnificent! Here are the results of our Frogs:
Cat 1/2/3/ Men Andy Demarchena 11th Matt Latyszonek 13th  
Cat 1/2/3 Women
Jennifer Pope 3rd
Cat 4 Men
Matt Keane 4th
Tim Pope 5th
Matthew Childs 15th
Jason Bradford 16th
Mike Underhill 24th
Dan Sasaya 25th
 
Cat 4 Women
Brittany McDonald 1st
Julie Fink 8th
  
Cat 5 Men
Russ Carawan 6th
Tim Shock 23rd
Jeff Reichelderfer 24th
Robert Joyce 42nd
Junior Boys
10 -12
Austin Childs 2nd
Dane Craddock 3rd
  
13-14
Eliot Childs 1st
Junior Girls
Logan Carol 1st
Master Men’s
30+
Ritchie Langley 5th
50+
Bill Covach 7th
Percy Martin 10th
Dennis Conrad 15th
60+
Ernie Chapman 10th
Joe Vizi 13th
Women 40+
Glenda Craddock 3rd
What a fantastic finish in Suffolk…on to Jeff Cup in Charlottesville
If you have heard the expression “Nothing can bring me down” well it was evident this Sunday in Charlottesville. Brittany McDonald pulled an impressive 4th place finish in Cat 4 women in her first yes,,,,,first road race. Our women are proving to be a major force to recon with at the top level.
Our men had to battle wet, cold weather and had a very good race. There was a sprint to the finish and Matt Keane and Tim Pope crashed along with another racer. All were ok but their bikes showed the marks. They would have placed in the top 15 but we will have to wait till next year. We are proud none the less of all our Men Frogs
Taylor Doyle, Tim Pope, Matt Keane, Bud Lee, Jason Bradford, James Bradford, Steve Mauer, Mike Underhill, and Christian Rebeck for braving the nasty weather while others were nestled in their nice warm beds….or big trucks
The Virginia Women’s Duathalon was this weekend and Jen Pope finished 2nd overall! Her quote to me was "It was Obviously because my bike was so fast and not the running" Stay on that bike Jen!
The Smithfield Tri was held on Saturday and of course we had to have Frogs ribbiting there as well.
Megan Gonzales improved her time from last year by 4 minutes finishing 1:12:27. Walt Gonzales did the same and shaved 9 minutes off with a 1:06:10 finish. Our new Tri Guys were out in force and finished as well with the following: Ray Culala 1:06:15, Matt Kurtz 1:11:19, and Tony Campos 1:13:16
And lets not forget our other boys!
Matt Latyszonek and Lucas Harville, preferring flat criteriums to hilly road races, traveled to the Uptown Greenville Criteriums this past weekend. So while the majority of the Fat Frogs were suffering through miserable conditions over the hills of Charlottesville at Jeff Cup, these two CAT 3 Frog speedsters were enjoying much more agreeable conditions in the form of sunshine and temps in the 60’s.
 
Saturday’s course was a typical 4 corner criterium, about 1km in length, and a CAT ¾ field of about 45 racers. From the gun Matt hit the front of the pack and rode tempo for about 1.5 laps to set up Lucas for a breakaway attempt. Luke leapt off the front in an early move, but it was quickly reeled in by the still fresh and excited peloton. Matt immediately countered-attacked, at this point about 4 laps into the race, and slipped off the front with one other racer from a local Raleigh, NC team.
The pair opened up a gap, and worked well together to steadily increase their lead as the race wore on. Another rider bridged the gap many laps later, and the 3 eventually lapped the field with around 12 laps to go. Sensing he had a better chance soloing off the front then waiting for a bunch sprint Matt’s breakaway companion tried to go straight around the field and off the front, but was quickly reeled in by some very strong riding by Lucas, who sacrificed a strong finish for himself for the good of his teammate. With a field sprint imminent, Matt’s sprinter instincts took over, and he remained glued to his breakaway companion’s wheel, coming around the final corner in 2nd position, lighting his sprint 150m from the line, and taking the win. He crossed the line with his hand up in his now-patented “Jersey Fist Pump” victory salute!! A true team effort.
 
Sunday’s criterium was the same course as Saturday, only in reverse, causing a bit of disorientation in the first few laps. The weather was again sunny and warm, but with much stronger winds, and the field 40 riders strong. The finishing stretch felt like a wind-tunnel, and mother nature being a cruel and unforgiving tormentor, ensured that the rest of the course had swirling crosswinds with very little tailwind. Again, the pace started off high, with 4 riders, including the Frog’s own Luke Harville, trying to slip away. Matt sat 2nd or 3rd wheel for about 3 laps waiting to see if the break was going to stick. Once it appeared that the field wasn’t feeling motivated to chase, Matt leapt off the front of the field and bridged the gap to join Lucas. There was a now a 5-man breakaway up the road, with both Fat Frogs represented!! The group was disjointed at times, but overall worked well enough to lap the field.
A few attacks were attempted by various members of the breakaway once they had regrouped with the main pack, but nothing stuck. It appeared that things were once again lining up for a field sprint, and Matt and Lucas quickly linked up to set up a leadout. One of the breakaway riders from another team, however, had other plans and with 1 lap remaining put in a hard attack. Hesitation from the field allowed him to open up about a 5 second gap. As the rider dangled in front nobody would pull through, so Matt sat on the front slowly trying to close the gap without completely killing himself. The leader rounded the last corner less than 5 seconds ahead, as Matt and Lucas rounded the corner shortly after in 2nd and 3rd position. Matt started his sprint into the last corner, hoping Lucas might be able to launch around him and snag the win. At the line Matt was within 5 bike lengths of catching the leader, taking the field sprint for 2nd, with Lucas finishing right behind him in 3rd, giving the Fat Frogs a 2-3 finish for the day. All in all a fantastic weekend for the 2 traveling Frogs!! The dynamic duo is starting to really gel as teammates and will be in action again at the Smithfield Hammerfest Criterium on April 3rd, with the added firepower of Chef Andres! The three CAT 3 racers hope to secure another victory, and add to the Fat Frog legacy. In the words of the tattoos of Luke’s legs, we’ll be going “Faster” and “Harder”. RIBBIT!!
As you can see we are only at the beginning of the season and yet have so much to be proud of. Keep training because your hard work is paying off.
Our next race is in Smithfield at the Hammerfest Crit! It will prove to be another Fat Frog dominance.
Untill then Frogs take care.
Your Roaming, Ribbiting Reporter
Donna
AKA Mamma Frog....  |
Well it was a beautiful Sunday afternoon in Chesapeake as the 
the pack and Julie Fink and Logan Carroll worked together to get each other home. Crossing the finish line for the ladies 1 2 3 was Emily Joyner but not without a fight. Jen Pope sprinting in her monster fashion crossed the line 3rd and complete a very strong ride for her! Great job Jen. Brittany amazingly took her 2nd first place finish for the Cat 4 girls with Jane close behind her. Julie and Logan crossed and rounded out a fantasic showing by our la
dies. Great job ladies you make us proud!
The Mens 3/4 race was another huge field as well. 12 of the racers were doning Fat Frogs Racing uniforms. Andy and Matt K, broke away with 3 others to an impressive lead. The rest of the pack was very strong with Tim, Percy, Lucas, Taylor kept the pace up with the main pack. The top 15 had Frogs names in it and I guarantee you will be seeing all these and more names at the top in the coming months.
