It’s not often that I preregister for a race many days in advance. It’s never that I preregister for a race given a grim forecast. It’s 100% of the time I do both that a grim forecast turns into some of the most miserable weather a human being can endure. This weekend made me one for one. Sub-40 degree temps, downpours, constant spray from wet roads and no fenders, sleet, etc. Finishing was a moral victory and that’s what I did. As you can see in the results, upwards of half of some fields did not finish.
This was a 56-mile and relatively flat race. Given my talents (diesel engine) it should have been a day for me to excel. I ended the race with the lead group, but when asked to answer the sprint call, the legs did not answer. Following the race and the day afterward my legs felt perfectly strong so I think this was more of a survival mechanism shutting them down rather than a training/muscle/cardio failure. Regardless, I could really stand to do more long riding rather than the daily 1-2 hour sessions I’ve been getting in all winter. Road season will benefit from it and Leadville, the big goal, will too.
I finished 10th of 25 in my category, but we rode with the “faster” category too (I actually beat a larger percentage of them than my “slower” category) so you could say roughly 25th of 60. Nothing to write home about, but I’m pleased for my first road race in a long while (I dehydrated/bonked in my one and only last year so this is a clear improvement).
Following the race a few of us went back to the local watering hole for some drinks and burgers. Sometimes cycling makes you question your sanity, but those questions are answered when you treat yourself to some suds, massive piles of beef and fried potatoes, and don’t feel an inkling of guilt for it.
Nothing cooking this week or weekend so it’ll be a big week for training as long as I can escape the rain that’s forecast for every damn day. Next week starts the two weekly weekday circuit races and the weekend brings another road race, all of which I’ve penciled into the calendar.
[GPS]