Westlake 5/13 So close, yet again!!

All the usual characters at Westlake adding up to 40 some A's. The first break rolled away on lap one that I chose unwisely not to be in. Zak, Dave Steiner and a bunch of others were in it and it stayed away for a few laps. I just found myself not wanting to go in a lap one break, but way out in front of the field. NO mans land so I soft pedaled. It was a pretty big break. And because I didnt go in it, I got to chase it along with Brian, Tris and Bob Martin of RGF. Lesson learned.

The second real split occurred and Tris had just pulled and I was now on the front. PM comes flying around with the top guns on his wheel. I want to crawl under a bus, but I hear Tris yell "Ray something or other" and I know what it means. So along the front stretch I somehow find 32+mph and pull us back. That blew out the cobwebs from an overly easy warm-up. Really, really hurt too let me tell you.

There is a big blur from there on and all I remember is seeing Clarke up the road a bit (just like RATL, right?)late in the race and I feel like its time for another break. I roll up and take a big pull and Brian Diffenbacher from Lake Effect has come along too.

At first its me and Clarke taking the bigger pulls, but Brian gets going and starts to pull through. But mostly I am the one trying to keep us away with longer pulls and trying to up the speed a bit with each pull. Andy says some thing like "you know were gonna get caught, Pauls back there". But I look back and weve got some serious real estate and the laps are winding down. 8,7,6,5. I also tell Clarke that I know, but I'm having too much fun. Yeah, my legs felt great tonight so why waste them.

Eventually Tris comes up and has a small group that includes Zak (Spin), Riccardi, Steiner (Snake Bite) and others and we keep pulling. SOme of the guys arent pulling very hard and considering how hard I would assume Tris and others probably pulled to bridge to us, I am not surprised. So again Tris and I take bigger, harder pulls. Tris pulls us at one point at 32mph!!

The story goes that teams who had guys up the road blocked the road (and after the bridge, all teams were represented except team Paul (Texas Road House)) and the speed dropped to 20 in the pack, but Paul came around the bloackade and pulled for 2 laps and eventually caught us. I think that was with 3 to go we were caught. So the break lasted a good 11 miles at least.

Some attacks started to go and I almost didnt make it as I stupidly tried to get off the front again, but all I did was tire myself out. The last 2 laps were super fast. I had 29.1 mph for the last 2 laps and 29.7mph for the last 3 miles!! I recovered and my team mate pulled me the whole last lap in hopes of finally getting me a top 5 I wanted so badly.

We fly past the parking lot, fly down by the baseball fields and the tempo is unreal. Through the cop turn and Paul is just a bit in front with maybe Baldesare. RGF has its sprinters I know and theres plenty of well rested guys in the field. We hit the final stretch and again I'm sitting with great position and at 200 meters everyone stands up and its time to go. I am on my own now and I am top 3, then top 5 and then wouldnt you know it and you can laugh, I have to, Shawn Adams comes by and I get 6th Again!!! So now Ive had two bunch finishes, 8,8,7,6,6 at Westlake since going there last year till now.

Well, I cannot complain, I had a blast in the breakaway and I felt great the whole last half of the race. I reset best 90 minute power and had a good workout. Woulda coulda, but it was the right break at the right time with the right teams and if it weren't for the awesome PM factor I am sure we would have stayed away. With 3 to go I was still feeling great and I still managed 6th in th fast and frenzied field sprint. My team mates were great too and Tris was flying. i am so sorry I didnt get the top 5 mates!! Nothing to show except a prime, but again I felt good about the race and our team.

Now its time to get packed and its off to Disney for family Vacation.

See you guys hopefully at Mid-Ohio!! I'll be a bit flat to say the least after 7 days of dining and brewskies, but hopefully tonight is a sign of good things for the summer as we get back to road racing.

Ray