I don't have any excuses for this one. I trained as best I could.
Tapered the week before the race, hydrated for about 4 days, carb
loaded too. Didn't even have a problem with the bike or my shoes!
But something about this race was disappointing. It wasn't the 3rd
place finish. I even beat most of my teammates. I just didn't have a
great race.
Warmed up for quite a while on the oval track. Probably too long now
that I think about it. The start was fine. I stayed back in the mid
pack. Didn't find anyone to draft by the airport, but eventually
found myself riding with someone as we dropped down the first decent.
We were moving pretty good which made his wildly sideways 30 foot
slide in to a sloppy-off-camber-left-hander-save pretty impressive.
Getting the split second visual warning was enough for me to put my
own wildly sideways slide in to the inside of the corner which was
slightly less sloppy. We joked about the number of riders who would
not be so lucky and eventually I passed a few of them pointing out
that I knew where that happened! I hit the whoops pretty good and
passed quite a few. The thrill of it all clouded my good judgement to
save something for the climbs then before I knew it, I was walking!
The walking gave me plenty of time to regret not bringing my
Enduralites with me. A fast gal asked if we were at the long climb
and I regretfully told her that it was just the beginning. It was my
most pathetic NVDC ever, walking the majority of the climbs on the
verge of cramping.
Finally the airport, and two ladies pass me giving me the rush of
strength to take over the lead and push hard to drop them. I was
excited to be so close to the finish. I jumped on to the paved track
and noticed the guy 70 feet ahead hammering to keep the distance, so I
hammered harder and caught him on the back straight. I could hear the
crowd's excitement that I might pass him. As I drafted down the back
straight I wasn't sure I would recover the strength to make the pass,
but just as I started thinking about my strategy, he went wide to let
me by. I didn't hesitate as he dropped in behind me hoping to
slingshot the finish. His strategy failed and I beat him by a wheel.
Poor guy lost his 3rd place finish in the last second of the race!
My first ever sport class podium was a bit bitter-sweet knowing how
much I struggled on the climbs. With Skyline only a few weeks ahead,
my race strategy will certainly be conserve conserve conserve. I just
hope the fun single track doesn't fog my thinking again!

Mr.T