Thursday, May 20, 2010

KOWR

part deux

5.16.10 Fox River Grove Crit, CAT 5.

i will keep this one short and sweet, OUCH.

seven times the 5s trudged up that hill.

halfway up on lap one a split took place. i knew i had to make the split to have a chance at top 5. as i spotted teammate Cook dart off to make the split i realized i was screwed. the legs were just not ready to go. i think it was a combination of a poor warm up and two hard efforts from Monsters on Saturday.

i stayed calm and rode within myself. the third or fourth time up i was struggling mightily. near the top of the climb i hooked up with teammate Djan and followed his lead through downhill section. i really needed that. he was hammering it at 30 mph plus and i was right in his draft, working only half as hard. without that recover my day could have ended prematurely.

a couple more times up the hill and the legs started to feel better. i was approaching the start/finish line thinking i was going to make a move the last few laps.......ONE to GO.......so much for the move.

i hit that hill that last time hard. i wanted to punch it in the face. just once. just like the six jabs to face i had taken from it. i think i got a glancing blow in and i passed several riders that last time up.

at the top i flew around Djan who seemed to be resting up or struggling a bit. i yelled to him, go go go, and he jumped on. i didn't want anyone passing us as we flew into the finish. no one did. in fact we were doing the passing.

then i snugged behind a BH rider as we approached the last turn. i believe he was off the front early in the race and now floating back. i could tell he didn't want us passing him. i stayed on his wheel as long as possible. we hit the last little downhill run into the finish when i jumped.

it was just us three. no one else around. with an open finish on a closed course. so, sprinting for 15th place seemed kosher. it was my first race day sprint. Djan almost got me at the end. almost, but i took it and that glorious 15th place finish.

TP Link/Stats

this wan fun. i like fun.

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