"The 33"-Road Bike Racing - I Set a New Bar for Myself Today

God, why? Why do I always have to feel great, but F it up at the worst possible place ever!?
The course was 14 miles, rolling hills, with one huge climb. Pretty nice course.

I did this "Powerman" race today. I felt good, and got into a 4 or 5 man break pretty early. We were away for a six miles from the main group, but we got drawn in from unorganization (even though I tried to get it organized).
Man, I felt great. Even when we got to this 20+% grade hill, I was climbing better than the other guys I was with even though I'm, admittedly, not good at climbing.
Flash forward to the second lap. One guy wearing a Priority Health team kit (even though he rode a Disco Trek Madone) broke away from a 10-12 man lead group. I was taking a break after pulling, and didn't see it.
When I got towards the front I noticed he wasn't there, looked up the road and he was truckin' on down. A few guys tried to catch him, but couldn't keep up and came back to the group. I toook the assumed role of leader, and told everyone to cruise at 23-24mph for 5-6 miles until the big climb, and we'd reel him in slowly so he'd lose a lot of steam. We did, and just like I said, we got very close to him at the major climb. Unfortunately, I spent too much energy on the hill, and didn't have anything after it, so I took a break and let everyone past me, and soft pedaled a little bit. I broke a lot of wind that lap and the previous one and was feeling a little bit of it.
After regaining my composture, I noticed that the original group had deteriorated to a few groups. There were four guys still at the front, but were 20+ seconds up from me. I passed two guys who clung onto me, another one, and then got back to the head, only to realize that they let the guy who broke earlier slip away.
I couldn't believe it. These were four in-shape guys who couldn't keep up with one in-shape guy.
With only a mile to go to the finish, we rode steadily until I saw the lap cards, and I gunned it. While I was sprinting, I looked through my legs and I was in the clear; focusing on the lap card, I sprinted towards it on the same route as the last lap.

Only I had to turn.

I went straight through the turn. The ensuing swear words could be heard for a mile, as I missed the finish.

And that, ladies and gentlemen, is embarassing.

I broke a lot of wind that lap.

^^^

And that, ladies and gentlemen, is embarassing.


Yessir.

don't sweat it. thinking too long about something like that can really get you agitated. according to the guys i was talking to, the priority health guy is not just a poser wearing priority health - he is a member of their developmental squad. it is not surprising that he was able to solo to victory.

i also had a dumb story from that race. you know how the steep climb is preceded by the first more moderate climb? well, i was in the back of the 1/2/3 field (grrrrr to combining me and the other 3's and the 1/2's) and saw that one of the 1/2 guys was attacking, so i motored through the field down the first climb and beginning of the steep in the big ring. by the time i hit the climb, i am too scared to shift down because i threw the ring off the last time i shifted under that much load and didn't have to time to adjust the limiter in the morning. essentially i ended up crawling over that climb in my 53x25 in the top 8 or 9 guys, but am completely spent over the top. even my arms were tired from trying to push that big of a gear. i am passed by a lot of guys after the climb, attempting to latch on to a few, but can't hold a wheel. oh well. i caught up to some other stragglers, and we cruised it in to the finish line.

also, even though i was wearing glasses, i still got a chunk of something in my eye, and it still is irritating me this morning.

chin up, ck. besides, isn't there a rumor of a velodrome up by you guys?