Snuffleupagus

It's been a hard road these last few years during my various knee debacles, but I should at last be summiting the final hump. As I'm more than three months post-op, and officially cleared to do as much riding as pain allows (which, by the by, is 15-20hrs per week ) and having rolled my flat TT'er butt off the front of the local fast group ride for 20 hilly miles last Saturday, I felt like some racing was in order.

My first opportunity to race was Tuesday night, and as I'm now a broke college student and not a petty bourgeoisie Staff Sergeant I carpooled up there with some friends to save on gas. As luck would have it, one of the guys who races for a different team and I were both doing the A (1/2/3) and B (CAT3/4) races and we conspired to "attack the crap out of" the B race to try to get a lap up on the field. I wasn't sure how well this would go as we're really in the height of racing season, but it's always a lot more fun to animate races. It's what Jens would do.

After several hard fought attacks that were reeled in by the field, we sat with 15 minutes to go, and my friend jumped again, I immediately got on his wheel, and we brought another rider who'd been aggressive all evening with us. Our trio had tried this before, and subsequently been reeled back, but with the pack worn down, and sprinters unwilling to work so close to the finish we gained a good gap that just kept getting bigger. With 5 laps to go I knew we had it, and we continued to roll at a steady 27-28mph. I'm pretty badly off sprinting form, and as we came around into the final 200m I couldn't come around my friend, who, no offense to him, I should be able to come around on anything but a vertical finish.

In any case, I'm pumped to be back racing, and I'll take a podium result for my first time toeing the line since May!

snoboard2

glad to hear the knee didn't set you back too much. good work

cmh

Nice work. Was this in the A race or B race?

substructure

Nice one.

Snuffleupagus

Bs.

My bike was acting up (broken 12t ring) so I pulled out of the A race after 15 minutes to avoid a potentially catastrophic mechanical...that and I was pretty knackered from earlier.

cmh

Keep your knees heathly and you'll be giving the As the same treatment next year.

ljrichar

Was this Ace? Sounds like the B race. I was there in the C's.

wanders

Good going snuff, and looking forward to hear of your NC dominance next year. Keep the knee healthy and don't blow it out chasing co-eds.

Bantam

Hmm, you are a 3 right?

Snuffleupagus

Yup. What do you ride/for what team? Come say whats up next time you're out there.

Yup. Although I frequently demote myself to cat 3 and a half

ljrichar

No team yet, there's a lot of them here in Greensboro (Paceline, Veloproject, Cycles de Oro, Mock Orange) and I'll join one of them by the beginning of next year. This was only my 2nd race at Ace & 3rd race ever but I'm having a blast. I'll be out of town during the next race but will be back for the one on the 9th. I'm usually wearing a white Canari jersey with a crown on the back.

Bantam

So you might be a 2 next year when I (hopefully) become a 3? I know hope doesn't mean as much as my winter training.

ridethecliche

Way to be snuff!!!

Snuffleupagus

The plan for next year is to focus on collegiate and race 3s until I get the mandatory upgrade

Bantam

Then I be racing with you sometime next year, cool.

king-tony

Good job snuff. Sounds like the knee is doing well and you are back near full strenght. You will be a beast when you go more than 6 months without knee surgery. Glad I don't race over there.

ilpirata87

well it seems like most of the NC races are 123 anyway so it'll be one big happy family

Bantam

I forgot about that. That will be a fun jump from 4 to 1/2/3. Should do wonders for my fitness, haha.

MDcatV

Nice. Snuff, you're one of the good guys and I'm really glad to read you're back in the game.

Now, don't F your knee up getting all psycho-crossy this fall!

bostongarden

Well done...glad to hear that the recovery is coming along well.

waterrockets 

Congrats on having the snot to attack the hell out of it. Congrats on a strong finish too

How's the knee feeling?

JohnKScott

Nice job on your first race back!

Lithuania

you should be able to crush some cross races this year. i hope you are racing Bs!