One better

This weekend we had both the senior and master state championship road races.
On Saturday the 86mile now well known Elma course, and on Sunday for us older (how can that be me.?... I don’t how that happened… I was just 24 the other day). I think having sporting careers in several sports takes time… when I was younger it was soccer, then in high school, Under water rugby. In college I spent 4 years training twice a day, rowing, traveling all over the country. When that suddenly ended at graduation, I took up mountain biking for a few years during grad school…. So by the time I started road riding I was already older then most retired pros… I guess that’s how… it still amazes me though…Masters…no that can’t be right…oh well it could be worse...

Saturday a big field showed up to a sunny although slightly cold day. Although some of the regions strong riders were out of town, there was still plenty of talent present. I don’t know how many times I’ve done this course before, but it’s getting up there…this time though it played out like no other. Maybe it was the head wind on the climb, lack of a long cross wind section, …for some reason at basically stayed together the entire race, no breaks got more then 10-15sec…not one.

Lap 3 and on I expected something to go on the climb, well at least splits, so I got to the front to make sure I wouldn’t miss it… apart for some smaller splits, that eventually came back… …There were some unfortunate crashes, not big ones, but the injuries were a lot worse then expected. One rider broke a collarbone and ribs as he went down by himself. Another rider had a compound fracture to his ankle as he clipped out to avoid a crash…very very unlucky. … On the farm road with 2 to go, I had a front flat, as I looked back I couldn’t even see the wheel car, as it was still behind the split…I finally get a new wheel as two of my teammates catch up, they had caught on right before the crash, and then got gapped off again…but it was nice having them here now to help me chase back on.

Neil and Flavio pull though a few pacing me back up.
A few miles later I reintegrate with the pack, a bit tired but still feeling very good.
As we approach the farm road again, we gat stopped for about 5min to let an ambulance pass with a crash victim. This is weird, only 7miles to go, 30-40 riders left and here we all sit chatting…finish line at the top of the climb…. All the strong riders are still here, we have 5guys left…this will be interesting..
Valley keeps the pace up on the rollers before the feed zone. Is anybody brave enough to go for it? Nikos gives it a try, doesn’t get too fat though. This is a good finish for me…slight uphill finish, not too long…I know the final move must go 100m or so before the sharp right turn at the top over the “wall”. After getting squeezed out though the feed zone with 1km to go, I maneuver around the left, I know I’m too far back, so I have to get into the wind to move up front. Nathan is sitting 30feet or so in front of the pack; this could be a good move…if the pack waits too long…maybe.
I can feel the jump about to happen and I anticipate it and go, hard, over the wall, we pass Nathan who is on the inside ,I can sense two riders right next to me, Morgan and Ian…both trying to find a better gear as the road flattens out. Only three rides ahead of me…Kenny and Campbell are too far away…but I’m inching closer to Morgan……..the line comes to soon…4th..
Nathan holds on for 10th, Jason 12th…
One better then last year…