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| Unhappy Master racers - not excited to race in the rain for 2 hrs. |
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| and we're off, fighting tractors and traffic |
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| gotta love wheel spray in your face for 2hrs. |
Well, I interrupt this regularly scheduled blog and my inability to finish my write up about Mohican 100k --->>> to post up a photo of me on a Podium (see below).
I really liked showing up to this race with no serious expectation other than to stay up right and finish in the front part of my group. Although I did feel I had some fitness to put power down after my efforts at the Mohican 100k. The legs responded well to these high speed efforts. Our average speed was about 24mph. I had a max of 40mph and much time spent at 28-30 mph. It's always amazing to me, during these road races to look down and see a low HR and speeds in the 28-30 range. Ahhh summer fitness.
This was the first time I have ever stood on a podium for a road race or cyclocross race or for that matter any skinny tire race. I have had a few good placings over the years at mountain bike races, but never on the road. So, I was pretty happy to see my name in the top three of the results posted on the side of BigDave's trailer after our race was completed.
My team mates Teresa, Doug and Kelley all had good results as well, but I was the lone wolf from our team with podium. Doug was 4th and Teresa 4th, they both just missed being third by half a wheel. Teresa got to race early and stay dry.
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| 200 Meters - go time |
Our race however, actually from the time I went out to warm up, about half way around the 14 mile course loop I got soaked. Shoes, socks, just soaked.
I returned to the start area with about 45
min before my start time. We sat under a picnic area all staring at each other, checking phones and radar. It was going to rain, but most of the hard stuff was gone. Suck water off of wheel fest.
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| Ohio can be stunning in it's own way. |
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| I try to look like a road racer |
I felt really great the first lap, chased down a few attempts at breaks, sat up in the front 10 fairly easily. The second lap got ugly, and for some reason I kept waiting for the moment where 4-6 guys would get going and get off the front, everytime, I was right there, in that group, thinking we were putting in a gap, we weren't. Then about 3/4 a way around our 2nd lap of 3, I got in a rotating paceline with about 8 guys, just throttling it up front at about 30 mph. I thought, for sure, ok this is it, we are going to have a big friggin gap and I'll get a podium for sure. Nope, I look back after a few miles and the entire group is still there. I was gassed, thankfully the rest of the group was too and we all sat up, grabbed some fuel and pedaled through the finish/start for our last lap.
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| Me and Kelley after a nice 1000 Meter sprint |
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A few more attempts and one almost successful, by one guy, in the middle of some real confusion by a race ref on a motorcycle and our lead car, while we over took the Masters group of YOUNGER racers in front of us. Yes, we were crushing it. The group was yelling at the lead car driver to reel back the guy off the front, since he left us during all the overtaking confusion. He was pissed. The last lap was fairly un-exciting, by the time we rolled through East Liberty, the group had realized nothing was going to stick and it was going to come down to the last turn and the 1000 meters to the finish from the turn. I thought I would make it up front to be top 5 into the last turn, but I wasn't and ended up about 12th or 8th maybe. Not the best place to be, but I managed to hold my sprint out of the saddle for almost the entire length, sitting down right before the line. Placement into that last turn is key.
All in all a good solid group of steady racers. I was impressed with the
professionalism of everyone and the communication going on since we all
had to go back to work on Monday.
I was happy the BWE was there supporting me and there to see me stand on a podium. She also took some amazing photos.
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My sprint finish
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The Result of my sprint finish. 3rd Place and a medal.
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Plus my team mates Kelley and Doug hung out to support me.
Hats off to coach - I got to see him stand on the 30+ Masters Podium in first place as well. Hand claps, cow bells all around.
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So, I am ranked - nationally. Now back to mountain biking.
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