LowCel 

Clif note version - I raced, I got dropped, I got back on, I got dropped, I got back on, I got dropped, I got back on, I didn't win.

Full version:

Yesterday I realized what it is like to enter a race when you haven't been training. I have been doing plenty of riding, but absolutely no training. Big difference come to find out. Oh, I had also been sick the three days prior to the race, as long as I'm going to throw out excuses I'm going to use them all!!!

The weather this past week has been perfect, a little hot but perfect none the less. Well, that all changed as we drove to the race. By the time we got to the race it was absolutely pouring. It was to the point that we thought about just turning around and heading home, they could keep our pre-registration money. It just wasn't worth it. We decided to go ahead and drive the course before making our decision though. We drove the course and checked out the two climbs, nothing too bad. Each lap was ten miles with two climbs. We had to do four laps. This wouldn't be to bad.

We got dressed, lined up and the race started. There were only 16 of us in the cat 4's due to the weather. At the time it wasn't raining. That lasted about ten minutes. We get underway and myself and a couple of others up the pace from the start. Might as well test out the legs a little. Within ten minutes one guy is off the front. I start to go with him but then decide otherwise. I thought it was just too early. After this I was still feeling pretty good. The first climb was pretty uneventful but I have to admit, the climbs did hurt a little.

Second lap I decided to see what would happen if I took off on the second climb. Well, what happened was everyone took my wheel. Another thing happened, I found out that I wasn't feeling as good as I had previously thought. My legs were gone. I managed to stick with the group but it hurt! When we got to the top of the climb it was raining so hard that everyone agreed to a neutral descent. That was probably a good thing. Then the second climb came, I got dropped! After the climb I fought as hard as I could for about five minutes to get back on. My legs were screaming.

Third lap, first climb I managed to almost hold on but I did get dropped. I fought about three minutes and caught back onto the back. At this point there were only ten of us plus the solo breakaway. Second climb, I got dropped like an anchor. Once again, I fought for five minutes as hard as I could to get back on.

Forth lap, solo breakaway was caught. First climb I knew I was going to get dropped. Luckily right when we got to the climb two leaders from the 1/2/3 race lapped us. At this time everyone kind of sat up in order to give them the road as well as the cars and motorcycles in front and behind them. This saved me, I barely got dropped. Now for the final climb, I gave it all I had but guess what, I got DROPPED!!! At the top of the climb I was about 25 meters off of the peleton. I fought for close to two miles to get back with them. I caught up with the group at 500 meters to go.

I knew I had no chance at a sprint so there was no purpose in me slowing down and just getting back in the group of eight. I decided to just go around them with full momentum and see what happened. Well what happened was everyone yelled that I was going around to the left and they immediately grabbed my wheel. At about 200 meters to go everyone just started yelling on your left and on your right. I just held my line and let them go. I ended up last in the group, about five seconds off the winner. I finished 8th place, one spot out of the money!

I learned a lot yesterday so I don't consider it to be a waste. I learned that I need to get back to training if I want to race, I learned that I need to work on some short climbs instead of just working on long climbs like I have been doing. I learned that I need to lose some weight, that's the big one!

cat4ever

Way to gut it out. I skipped this race even though it's part of the "Ohio Cup". I didn't feel up to driving that far for a butt whoopin'.

daytonian

Nice report. I skipped this due to drive and did PUR instead.

CrimsonKarter21

Better than my race, I flatted the first time we passed the Start/Finish. What jersey were you wearing? I was the kid in the blue/black/white Pista Elite jersey on the red Cannondale, my plan was to hang out in the back where the best draft was and conserve energy, but I guess that doesn't keep me from flatting.

LowCel 

I had on the Mercy Plex jersey. It is primarily red/yellow/blue. I had on the Giro Atmos king of the mountain (polka dot) helmet. Oh, and I was on a white Fuji with Zipp 404's.

On the first 1 1/2 laps I was in the front four riders the whole time. At the time I "thought" I was feeling good. I didn't find out until later that I was very, very wrong about that.

CrimsonKarter21

Okay, I remember you. The guy who looked like a goofy dope when we caught him.

cslone

A goofy dope that finished though.............right?

CrimsonKarter21

I would have finished too if it weren't for a chunk of glass stuck in my tire, or crashed or broke something, or had a stroke.

LowCel 

Not sure when that was. I know the first lap I was setting up after I somehow managed being up front between the main pack and the one guy that broke away. I was waiting for everyone so I could get back in the group. The two times I was "caught" you were already out of the race. You probably did have a lot better seat to watch the race than I did though. Where I was at (in the race) sucked, it was wet, fast, and extremely painful.

CrimsonKarter21

I remember seeing you in the front of the group, after it stopped raining, but before it started again.
And yes, my race seat was nice. Were you and the other break-guy working together at all?

LowCel 

I never joined him for the break. I was somewhat close to him and decided not to join him. I was only away from the pack for a couple of minutes. I didn't think the break would stick since it was so early in the race. Come to find out I wouldn't have had the legs to stay with him the whole race anyway so I made the right choice. We really thought his break was going to stick for a while though. He had 1:20 on the group for a lap or so. The way it was raining I thought he had a good chance.