Deer Creek Road Race

Yesterday was by far the most Cat.1's I have ever lined up with. A lot made the break and still there were a crap load left in the field. I had planned on a few bigger races this summer and I suppose I already have one under my belt.

I posted some big wattage numbers while overall the average wattage was "normal" for racing. That shows why road racing is so difficult. You could have a ho hum race, but when the chips fall if you cannot produce the goods for that one or two minutes its all over. No I dont race my wattage meter. But when your still putting out power at the end of a 70 mile race its a good thing.

Lucky for Carbon Racing Brian bridged to the breakaway with Marco Aledia of Kenda/Inferno and came home 6th out of the 8 man break. Nice work Brian.

I lead out the field for scraps from 1km to about 200m out, but sadly my sprinter du jour got popped as guys gave up left and right and he was behind one of them. But after 71 miles at an average speed of 24.3 mph (and it was brutally windy) can you blame them? I think we could have taken the last paying spot though because only 4 guys or so were on my wheel when i pulled off. I know, not a Protour level lead out, but for me it was good. I made a plan with a few miles to go and was able to execute it. Cool. Maybe it will work later in the year!!!!

I rolled in for a top 20 sprinting. What the hell, its good training. But I can tell you this. Racing for scraps or not I raced my bike today and I made some people hurt. I'm not saying I am a sado-masochist, just that I had some power late in the game and raced hard. Sadly I didnt have it when I needed it and missed the break.

When the move of the race went I went after it with everything I had to get in it. YOu just know when THE move is going. But when I knew I wasnt going to make it I kept drilling it. Its a phase shift of sorts. At first your trying to make it into the break YOURSELF, but as quick I made the decision to go I also realized that we didnt have anyone in the break yet. I got closer and closer at first, but the rate I was getting closer faltered and when I thought I was doing more harm than good I flicked my elbow for someone to come through. I flicked again and slowed. Well I had Paul Martin and another Panther/RGF sitting on me. Since the break looked primarily white in color (Panther/RGF's new uniforms (Happy JIM?-sorry inside joke)) I knew I had to keep pulling-even if slowly. Damn I tried hard to close it. Tried freakin hard.

No one was going to help. I pulled till my legs almost locked up and I almost got dropped due to the effort because as soon as I pulled off we went up one of the short hills. I barely made it up going backward through the field FAST. By contrast every other lap I felt great up both climbs-sometimes attacking to cause some attrition in the field.

I only trained 5 hours this week going into the race as well. But a very well planned 5 hours of trying to come from being sick Sunday-Tuesday to doing just enough and a bit intensity Thursday to be ready to race yesterday, but not make myself tired or sicker. Thank goodness it worked.

Had it not the race would have hurt even more than it did and this one hurt. I havent even spun out my legs yet today and its already 5:41pm!! I Know I should have ridden a few hours. Ahh what the heck I had a great day with my family. Happy Easter everyone.