Good and bad

It’s been a while since I went for a team ride round the lake and out May Valley. Although it required getting up a 7am on Saturday, it was worth it. As usual I was a bit late leaving home, not enough requiring the “Murdin time trial” the 16miles to Leshi, but late enough that I wouldn’t have time to enjoy a cup of coffee once getting there. I hadn’t really planned on going for a longer ride, maybe just the south end and back across I-90, I did have a race planned for Sunday. Somehow I ended going east and by the time I got home had 80+ miles…it amazing how quick the miles add up when you go for a team ride, especially when it’s 32miles to the meeting place and back home.
It was a nice day for a ride though, and I really didn’t mind it a bit
.
The race in Woodland turned out to be harder then expected. Although flat for the first 55miles, the wind was a factor. After a flurry of attacks and blazing speeds small group get of pretty fast. After recovering slightly I make my way up front to try and help the chase. Although flat right now, the finish line is atop of a brutal climb. If I could help Nathan (or the pack in this case) get there as close as possible to the break, he would have a got chance of placing. I pull though a few times into the headwind. Considering how I’ve been feeling the last few weeks, probably a bit too hard. As we make a turn a crosswind section I get shot to the back, and after hanging on for dear life and jumping around a few rides leaving gaps I’m at my limit.
A few miles later not quite recovered yet, and in another crosswind I get gapped of right as we turn into a tailwind.….before you know it the pack flying down the road away from me….yeah, maybe I shouldn’t have worked quite so hard at the front.. I get in a small group for the rest of the race and continue at a pretty hard pace.. good steady hard effort.
Nathan takes top 10, the break of five stayed away…
Although not the best race of mine, I’m actually pretty happy with the effort I put out, 2:30 hours 260W average… I’m starting to come around and I’m feeling better and stronger everyday… although at the top of the climb at the steepest point I was going 6mph at 50rpm… yeah at that point I was dead