Bamacross #8

So Sunday was the last cx race at Brookside, AL for the year and I can say it was a lot of fun racing there this year.  The park provided a great layout for multiple race courses and the Bamacross crew always seemed to add something new that made each race better than the last.  I am still recovering from Sunday where I raced both the single speed and 3's but should be up this afternoon for a nice recovery ride.   

Let's see, I can't really explain the course other than it was really muddy, with some fast hard packed flats, a lot of run-ups, more mud, barriers, a mud bog, and a barrage of hecklers.  After putting up a top 5 in the single speed race with 5 laps over 50 minutes, I washed off my bike, relubed as much as I could and got everything back working again then lined up for the 3's race.  I've never hurt so bad in a race as I did in the second race.  It was miserable.  My body started to give up around 35 minutes in and it was all I could do to finish this race.  

The start was a good one as I took about 12th wheel into the hole shot and settled into a good pace.  The lead group was taking a good pace with the group of about 15 or so for the first half lap.  I made a couple passes and worked up to 6th but only to give a couple of those spots back over the 2nd and 3rd lap.  From the 3rd lap until the finish I didn't make any passes or get passed, although I constantly had two guys behind me stalking me the whole time.  

They would get within 40 or so yards of me and I would attack, opening a gap and then on the next lap they would be right back there, 40 yards back.  It was miserable but I didn't want to get caught by anyone, especially on the last lap.  So the bell lap came and I attacked, at this point debating on puking or not because it was all I could do to push and everything hurt.  I attacked on the pavement, getting into my big ring for about 200 yards, made it through the sand pit and 4 run ups safely without making any mistakes, then attacked on the back flats and climb.  I came around for the last run up and saw the two chasers were no where to be seen  and at this point was about 2 minutes from the finish so I started to let up and take a breath.  Made it thought the barriers for the last time without making a mistake or falling in the mud, and rode the last 400 yards in at an easy pace as I wasn't challenged for a spot by anyone.  

Ended up 5th in the ss race and 9th in the 3's, last 3 races have been 9th places so maybe that's a sign?  I've never collapsed after a race but for this one all I wanted to do was go lay down somewhere and that was exactly what I did about 100 yards past the finish line.  Laid on my back just trying to regain my sanity for several minutes then it finally hit me that it was all over.  Great course and had a ton of fun racing it.  Next cross race isn't until mid January so it's likely I'll clean the cx bike and put it up for a couple weeks to get in some base on my road bike.  Maybe break it out for some LSD rides and start getting ready for Southern Cross.

Photos courtesy of Carol Roark York

Mud, Sweat, and Barriers

Today I raced in Gadsden, AL for Bamacross #7.  It was cold, muddy, overcast, and just overall an ugly day, or a great day for cyclocross.  The temperatures were in the mid 40’s and the course was fairly flat with two log crossings, several nasty mud bogs, and a set of barriers.  This was also one of the longest courses I’ve raced with lap times at about 9 ½ mins.  The fields were smaller in general with 12 in the 3’s and 9 in single speed.  This was my first attempt at racing in the single speed class, Brent allowed me to zip tie my shifters and race single speed with my geared bike but now I’ve done it I really want to get a sscx bike. 

The single speed class went off at 10am and the temps were still in the 30’s, the course was still somewhat dry at this point, except of course for the bog areas.  The start was a long paved road of about 250 yards that dove off onto the grass.  I was able to take the hole shot with one of the best starts of the year, got my cleat in immediately on the first revolution and was off.  I was able to keep the lead for the first couple minutes and then gave it up to John and another guy from Chattanooga.  I gave a good lead out for John and 3^rd place, putting 50+ yards on the rest of the field, but then sat up and tried to hold on John’s wheel.  I managed to make my way around the first lap keeping with the lead group of 3, but then started to lose about 10-15 seconds a lap for the rest of the race.  From this point on, I sat in 3^rd until the finish. 

I was able to ride both log crossings, one being a set of railroad ties lying across the course, and the other being a large tree lying across the course right before a drainage ditch.  I was kind of nervous about jumping stuff on carbon wheels, but cleared everything and by the second race was really smooth over them and actually bunny hoping them at speed.  There were several mud bogs on the back side of the course, the longest being roughly 50yds long and ankle deep mud with standing water.  I was able to ride it ever lap for the first race but by the 1,2,3 race, so many people had ran it that it was nothing but 6-8 inch deep footholes and was impossible to hold a line.  At this point it was faster to run but the stubborn mountain biker in me views walking anything during a bike race as, let me say weak, in so many words.  I managed to finish the race at 5 laps, all at about 9:45/ lap and got my first podium in cyclocross with a 3^rd place finish.

For the 3s I lined up knowing that I was going to hurt a lot since I had already suffered for 50 minutes 2 hours earlier so I took a spot in the second row as not to contest the hole shot or lead out.  I took 5^th wheel for the hole shot and held onto the lead group for about ½ a lap, with Andrew going off the front like a mad man and putting a big gap on everyone.  I fell off the front group and managed to lead a group of 4 for the next two laps with no one attacking or coming to the front to do work I was getting upset.  On my 3^rd lap after the first log crossing, I jumped it while all 3 of the other guys behind me dismounted, I attacked and tried to gap them hoping at least one of them would come with me.  Well they all 3 just sat in and maintained and eventually on the long paved sections pulled me back.  After I finished my 3^rd lap I was caught so I stopped attacking, gave up 5^th and moved to the back to recover and was now in 8^th.  I guess I’ve got a lot to learn about racing because as soon as I gave up the lead the group of 3 attacked.  I was able to hold for about a ½ a lap but they were constantly attacking and I was having a hard time dangling off the back.  At this point I finished the 4^th lap in 8^th and got the 2 to go from the officials so I sat up to recover and try to get ready for my last lap attack.  I rode most of the 5^th lap by myself with the 5^th,6^th,7^th never getting more than 100 yards in front of me but after two races, I just didn’t have it in the legs to attack anymore and still have a strong finish. 

I tried to attack at the end of the 5^th lap because I was getting caught by 9^th but could only go for about 10 seconds or so and my power was way low, not even able to get into my big ring on the flats anymore at this point.  Mid way through the last lap I got caught by a BBC guy and when he attacked, he went hard, putting about 50 yards on me then sitting up.  I saw he was not riding hard and was just trying to hold on until the end but I didn’t have it.  I was one match too short for this race.  Overall I had a great race and was happy with 3^rd in single speed and 9^th in the 3’s.  Next weekend I’m racing in Brookside, AL and plan on doing the ss and 3s races again even though I know it’s going to hurt a lot.  

Bacon and Beer Fairies- Sloss Cross

“It never gets any easier; you just get better at suffering.”  Someone once told me this and after today I have something to add, “You might never forget how to ride a bike, but you can definitely forget how to ride it while suffering.”  That being said, it’s been over a month since my last cyclocross race.  In between that time I took a week easy to taper for a 6 hr race, raced a 6hr race, got injured and spent 10 days out of training, and ate way too much over thanksgiving while not riding that much.  Through all that it seems I got worse at suffering because today’s race was a good helping of pain with an extra side of suffering. 

The course was a great layout.  It was run over the historical site of Sloss Furnace, which is an old steel mill from long ago but now is a park and covered in rust.  Laced with old railroad beds, tons of gravel, stairs, barriers, and a step up, the course was fast and bumpy that kept you on your toes, literally, I spent a lot of time out of the saddle negotiating these features.  Long straights gave way to a vicious head wind that made you want to give in but the saving grace was the beer fairy that made it all worth the suffering, several sanook sections slowed things down on the back side but overall it was a fast course with wide corners and long straights.

From the start I was a mess, realized at the 10 second countdown I was in the wrong gear, wasn’t even in the big ring so when the start went off I went to shift over and nothing, couldn’t get it to shift and all but about 5 or 6 guys passed me putting me at around 22-25^th I would guess.  This lead to a slow first lap and several aggressive passes on lines that were little to tight for comfort but made it through everything cleanly without causing any problems.  Second lap I picked off a couple more and eventually worked my way back to the top 10; I think best was maybe 7^th or 8^th.  Kept a good pace and worked with a couple guys, staying in a pack of 4 most of the 3^rd and 4^th laps and then they began to walk away from me, the legs just didn’t have it.  Also began to feel like I was going to vomit trying to hold on to the back of that group so let up to gather myself and readjust. 

I chased hard for the rest of the 4^th lap then started to feel cramps in both hamstrings coming on so I really let up and looked around, I had a good gap on anyone behind me while several of the guys in front were starting to slow down and fall off the pace as well.  At this point attacking meant I might cramp up and not finish at all so I sat nicely for most of lap 5, took a hand up, or toss up really, of bacon from I think Zach, which missed my mouth but lifted my spirits none the less.  I also took my first ever beer up from the beer fairy and can say I have been missing out, going to have to start taking them in the future I think, at least in the last couple laps. Then I started attacking again on lap 6 as I got the 2 lap count when I passed the starting line.  Attacked several times then recovered but could never seem to make up any ground on the front two groups.  Bell lap and I stood and mashed as I passed the starting line and set out to attack hard the first half of the last lap and then ride it in if I could catch anyone, well even though Andrew had a mechanical and I was gaining ground, I just didn’t have any power left in the legs, the legs were just soft and there was nothing I could do. 

Finished 9^th on the day and top 10 was a pre-race goal so I’m happy overall but really tired and sore.  Hopefully I can get my shit together this week and put in some hard intervals to get my mojo back before Gadsden next week.

On a side note got to say congratulations to John Newsom on his win in the ss class and props to Borris on catting up to the 2’s. 

Lazy Days.... On the Mend

Well Chainbuster's 6Hr Race at Oak Mtn didn't go too well for me, hence the lack of a race report post race.  I ended up having several mechanicals on the day, two injuries, and just an off day.  I felt great pre-race, bike was setup perfect, just one of those days I guess.

The first mechanical I had was my rear axle slipped and I dropped my chain.  Got it set back correctly and tightened but then went on to drop the chain once more several hours later.  In the first lap, the race organizers included a parade lead out of about 1/2 mile on the road at the start of the race.  This was bullshit for people on single speeds because all the "oh lets go out and have fun" 3 man team 6hr racers, which shouldn't even be a category, I mean it's an endurance race, not a fun ride, shot their wad sprinting into the woods, causing a very slow lap for me and several other ss'ers I talked to.  It caused a lot of frustrations in the field and several strong words of encouragement from me when people felt compelled to stop in the middle of a climb and just look around in the middle of the trail.  I'm actually still pretty pissed off when I think about those ass clowns but whatever, that's racing I guess, just annoying and consequently, these "racers" lead to my first injury on the day.  While descending Jeykell and Hyde on the hand built upper section, there were many in-experienced riders that kept stopping and falling over in the middle of the trail, blocking quite frequently the only line, so me and two other ss'ers pacing each other would just shoulder the bike and run uphill around these, for a lack of a better word, obsticals.  Well while running around one guy who fell over still clipped in and managed to just lay there making no attempt to get out of the way, I rolled my left ankle, this was at mile 6 of a targeted 60 mile race.  As soon as I rolled it I knew it was bad, I felt my ankle bone hit the ground.  But I just gritted my teeth and didn't look to check how bad it was.

The second injury came when I was going down the machined section of Jeykell and Hyde when I tried to pass a slower rider on the high side of the trail where a crib wall was setting at about 4 ft high to my right.  Well I made a clean pass but the sharp angle and speed gave way to a little drift in the front and I held my hand out to keep my handlebars from digging into the crib wall at almost 18 mph and when I did, my three outside fingers got caught in some vines and hyper-extended two fingers, they immediately hurt and were mostly useless for the rest of the race as I couldn't clamp very tight to my bar after that happened.  This was also in the first 10 miles.  So needless to say my first lap was not the best, still I pressed on focusing on meeting my pre-race goals and lap times.

I was able to complete 3 laps, each in sub 60 mins, and on my 4th lap around mile 6, I shredded my pawls in my freewheel and lost all engagement.  At this point I had been on a bike for a little over 3.5hrs, had done 35 miles with about 3500ft of climbing, and was feeling great considering my prior two injuries.  But there was no way I could hike-a-bike 4 miles on a sprained ankle and fix my freewheel in my pit so I rode to the nearest road and hitch-hiked back to my pit area and called it a day.  DNF'ed but for the miles I put up I was able to meet my race goals and overall performed well given all the mishaps. 

I took last week off the bike and rehabbed the ankle all week, got on the trainer slowly and now am back on the bike and continuing regular training.  Missed out on the CX state championship race last night, which looked like an awesome course to race, but am hoping to put in a good week riding this week, catch a race in southern Ohio on my way back from visiting family next Sunday, then start to get ready for Sloss Cross.

Also want to mention the team kits came in last week and look great.  Will try and get a pic up soon but will be racing the rest of the cross season in them as well.

Bike Setup for Chainbuster's 6hr race

So I took this weekend off from racing to rest the legs and I gotta say they feel pretty good.  Helped out with some trailwork Saturday on the new trail section added at Oak Mtn for the race and made it a little more "race friendly" as we smooth out some of the lines and really technical sections that were a bit on the dangerous side for a race course.  The trail is looking really good and last week's rain really helped out with packing down the new dirt. 

So this weekend I took some time to setup my Bianchi and tune it up for the race.  I changed out my 16t freewheel for a 17t, put a lockout switch on the bars for my Sid, and gave her a through cleaning and lube job.  After doing 4 laps last week with the 32:16 gearing and feeling pretty beat up, I'm hoping the 32:17 gear plus race day adrenaline will allow for me to get in 6 laps for the race.  After pre-riding the course it's going to take that many laps to get on the podium I believe but how quickly I get there is going to be another story.  Here are some pics of my setup for this weekend and if anyone wants to stop by my pit area on Saturday feel free, will have beer and food for those not racing or racing teams that want to hang out. 

Bamacross #3 Race Summary

Munny Sokol- Tuscaloosa, AL

Sunday October 30, 2011 I traveled to Tuscaloosa, AL to race in Bamacross #3 at Munny Sokol.  It was a cold morning, first frost of the year I think, high 30’s when I left the house but the day warmed up by race time to sunny and low 60’s.  The course was a combination of twisty singletrack and some technical, fast, dusty track.  There were two sets of barriers and one 6” rocky step up that was rideable by most racers.  The race field was around 30 or so.

The start was a nice 300 yard paved road that gave way to a quick, hard start, I hit the first turn onto the course sitting 8^th or 9^th wheel.  The first couple laps I rode strong, never letting the leaders get out of my sight, but after about 25 minutes I began to fall back a little and try to recover some.  I made several passes and worked my way up to 5^th or 6^th at one point then gave back some spots. 

With two laps left I was sitting in 7^th and battling David, who had been pulling away from me on the flats all day, and then I would pull him back in the singletrack.  Boris was also up there most of the day battling back and forth with us as well.  (David videoed the whole race from his handlebars so can’t wait to see what all he got)  With two laps left, I passed David right as we entered the woods and started my attack.  I knew I was faster through the singletrack than David but was worried about him catching me on the front part of the course where the flats favored him more.  I managed to put about 100 yards on him by the time I hit the start and heard the bell so I put my head down and pushed hard.  I saw Andrew about 150 yards in front of me and wanted a top five so I entered my last lap all out.  I was chasing and trying to make up time through the first set of barriers, that were 3 deep and only 4” high, but on a steep off camber uphill that made them a little tricky.  I tried riding them before the race but running ended up being faster. 

Now it was the last lap and I was pushing hard, my hips and back were stinging like hundreds of bees biting me and my legs were starting to go numb.  I went into the barriers to dismount and my legs went out from under me, it was all I could do to get back up after several tumbles.  I grabbed my bike and sprinted through the barriers trying not to lose much time, jumped on my bike to go and found out I had dropped my chain.  Got back off and threw my front derailleur over to catch my chain and then re-mounted to go again. 

By this time David had caught me and I had lost any chance of catching Andrew who was now out of sight.  David opened up a 50-75 yard gap on me and it was all I could do to hang on and not lose more time through the flats.  I rode hard through the single track and closed the gap down to only a couple seconds but just wasn’t able to pull him back by the finish line.  Ended up 7th on the day.  It was a good finish and good race, my first top ten in the Bamacross series so really happy about that.  I feel a little sore and fatigued this morning and am probably going to take a couple days off this week from training to recover and prepare for Chainbusters 6hr race in two weeks.  Five weekends of racing and training are beginning to take a toll on me so I might take off next weekend’s race for Bamacross #4 as well.  Overall a really fun course to race and a great job by the race organizers!

Cross the Way #1 Race Summary

Fontanel Mansion- Nashville, TN

I raced in Nashville today at the Fontanel Mansion off Whites Creek in North Nashville and had great time.  The people were really nice, the weather warmed up quite well, and I only had to race for 45 minutes, what more could I ask for? 

Got to the venue right at 10 and got registered, didn’t race until 11:45 but wanted to get a pre-ride in and the only time prior to before the race was from 10:30-10:45 so we busted ass to get up there early.  The course was anything but smooth, an old crop field you could definitely notice the rows of ruts from whatever had been planted there at one time.  The course was flat with no run-ups or sandpits and only one set of barriers set at about 250 yards from the finish.  The majority of the course was nothing but hairpin switchbacks, followed with 30 yard sprints, over and over again.  This made it really hard to pass anyone and made attacks that much more important in the two straight-aways where everyone was trying to attack. 

I had a good start, the field was run with the women 1,2,3 so overall I think there were around 40 or so people with 26 in the men’s 3.  The first lap people were riding waaaay to hard through all the switchbacks and overbraking so I rode cautiously, thinking there would be a pile up or someone was going to take out a lot of people so I sat back about 15^th or so and just waited until people started fading.  Got through the first lap okay without any problems and had picked off a couple people who couldn’t hold on to the field.  By now the field had broke into two groups, first group of 5 and a chase group of about 10 with me sitting 8^th or 9^th wheel, there were a couple guys behind me.  But these guys were slow through all the switchbacks and I knew if I could get out in front of them before the next lap I could put a gap and start to chase down the lead group, well that was the plan until after the barriers I went to re-mount and my bib caught the two pointy sections on the rear of my toupe saddle and it was like a sling-shot threw me back off the bike mid air, causing me to superman while chasing the bike and eventually face first plant into the ground.  (Next time I’ll listen to Mitch and put duct tape around those points!)  So I tucked and rolled and got up to get back on my bike, I didn’t look to see if there was any damage I just hopped back on and started hammering to catch back up.  I lost a good 75+ yards to the group of 9 that was now literally leaving me in the dust.  

I spent the next 3 laps riding in no man’s land chasing them back down and finally after 5 laps of an 7 lap race I caught back up.  I managed to catch them right before all the switchback section after the start so I was able to sit in nicely for about 2 minutes catching my breath and letting my legs recovery from 15 minutes of all out attacking/ chasing.  Towards the end of the lap I made a couple “aggressive” passes that definitely did not make me any friends, then had two guys from The Hub team start throwing blocks every turn and not wanting to let anyone by.  Managed to work with another guy and we both went wide on a sweeping 180 turn and dropped down behind one of them and came down on the inside guy and hammered through them in the big ring.  Definitely noticed a big advantage from riding in the big ring the majority of the day and through the tight technical sections because if I saw a brief window to take a wheel, I was able to get the spot with only three or four cranks. 

We both got by those Hub guys and they were not happy, immediately got on our wheels and keep trying to come down on us or cut under us for about the next 3 minutes until we got to a straight away and I let it out and dropped all 3 guys by a good 50 yards.  Kept a good pace for the remainder of the lap and then with two laps out I started my attacks again.  I was setting a good 200 yards back from the next guy who was in no man’s land in between me and the lead group of 5 or 6.  I chased him the whole lap and by the start of the last lap was only a couple seconds back.  He was about 5 seconds ahead of me and through the roughly 20 or so consecutive switchbacks we kept passing each other and he knew I was coming and I knew he wasn’t slowing down any.  I managed to catch him at about the half way point of the lap, after all the switchbacks, and going into the last 400 yards, there was a very technical down hill off camber turn that had was rutted out from a water run off, covered by gravel, that immediately made a 75 degree tight turn over a steep up and over of about 2 feet.  Very good chance of tacoing a wheel here if you didn’t flow through it smoothly.  Well being that my mountain bike skills were kicking in and I was flying through here earlier in the race, no braking, just working the bike and keeping the momentum up, I didn’t plan on slowing down to make the turn.  I was sitting on this guys wheel and he started to brake, and braked hard, like at least 50% of his speed, so I came to the inside and showed him a wheel, which, I knew it was waaay to technical to pass there, even worse being the last lap, dumb to try, but I hoped it would scare him enough to let me by or give me the line.  I showed him the wheel then immediately backed off to let him have the line and by this time he was cussing me, whatever, now he was really throwing blocks and it was coming down to the last 300 yards, through the barriers smoothly and took the inside of the 180 10 yards after the barriers and he came down on me, cutting my line, so I sprinted up next to him over the next 40 yards to the next 180, this one swooping and wide, and took the outside line and came down on him putting him to make an immediate hairpin steering 180 turn.  I was in my big ring and I heard his rear tire slip and that was all I needed, stood up and hammered ten or twelve pedal strokes and dove hard on the next s turn about 45 yards away and 25 yards to the finish and that dude had sat up after he spun out. 

Yeah I talked to him after the race and he was mad but cool with everything once I explained we were racing and I wanted his spot and he wasn’t going to let me by after I had shown him a wheel several times.  He calmed down and we shook hands but I think he was just more pissed that he made a mistake and I didn’t and it cost him a spot. 

Overall probably my best race yet.  I definitely feel like each week I am getting stronger and better with my bike handling and getting my first top 10 is a good confidence boost as well.  Next week going to be in racing Tuscaloosa and can’t wait for that course because I’ve heard there going to put some sweet single track in.   

Results here: http://www.tbra.org/results/live/2011_1666_3999.pdf

New CX Setup

This could be the dumbest thing I've ever done or the awesomest.  Going for a test ride tomorrow to see how my attempt at a "race" ready cx bike worked out.  Cannibalized my road and single speed to pick the lightest parts out for my cx build. 

Replaced my Ksyriums with my Reynolds Attack clinchers off my road bike, moved my xtr clipless pedals off my ss, and my toupe ti off my ss as well.  Overall dropped about a pound off the bike and am loving the new look.  Really wanted to see how these wheels ride off road before I decide on a set of tubular Assaults as a race wheel.    Set up my Ksyriums with an extra set of tires to use as a pit wheel for this weekends race but if for some reason I foul up the Reynolds I'm going to feel like a dumb ass.  Time will tell I guess but in the mean time, I think it looks pretty freckin sweet

Bamacross #2- Brookside, AL

Man was it hot and dusty today.  Started the race off without a water bottle and after 30 minutes of using sweat to keep my mouth and throat from closing up, I stopped to pick up a bottle and man did it make a difference. 

Race was a good field today at about 30 deep for the 3’s and we ran pretty much the same course as the race from two weeks ago out there.  I learned a lot after my first cx race at Bamacross #1 and tried putting some of those things to use in this race but not too sure if they worked out or not.  I took yesterday off the bike hoping it would give me a little more pepper in the legs today and even though I attacked one lap too early, I was still able to finish strong and was happy with my race. 

Lesson 1 I learned from my first race was to get to the front as soon as possible after the start.  Started at the back of the pack and immediately picked off about 12 people working my way to the front group while the people behind me all fell off the back fairly quick.  I was pulling up the rear of the main pack for the first lap and made a couple passes, then got passed back couple more times.  Starting to learn that the first laps are always sketchy and everyone is trying to find a rhythm right off the bat, pretty much like taking someone who can juggle and instead of giving him three balls to start with, you throw all three balls in the air to him at the same time and say “Juggle.”  That’s what lap 1 seems to be like for me right now.  Once the field worked itself out, I found a good pace and feel in line with 3 guys from Bici Coup.  They were really strong riders and were setting a good pace so I got with them and tried to hang on without upsetting the pack and having them decide to work together and get rid of me.  Don’t remember much from the tween laps except that once or twice I got ahead of some of the Bici guys and then they got back ahead of me, sometimes I was the carrot, but most of the time they were it seemed.  On the straights and pavement I tried to draft a couple of them some and then tried to do work for them at other times but I think we were all to tired and going to hard to communicate so there was no conversation of working together, but in retrospect, probably would have helped us all in the overall. 

Coming out of the sand on the second to last lap I attacked, thinking it was the last lap, and picked off two of the Bici guys I had been riding with all day.  I was able to ride the sand and make the climb and attacked while they were re-mounting.  I went as hard as I could onto the pavement, not looking back to see if they were chasing but managed to put a decent gap on them while still on the pavement.  Turned to get on the baseball field and could see the next Bici guy exiting the field as I entered.  I went hard but couldn’t catch him by the finish line, but this wasn’t the bell lap like I thought it was.  Thoughts of jubilation followed immediately with panic that I just burnt every match I had on my attack.  WTF, I’m not going to be able to finish now.  I regrouped and tried to catch my breath and refocus on finishing the next lap.  I slowed down a little and rode smart, running the run-up, and going gingerly on the back section as not to wreck or hit something being that I was somewhat delirious.  My body finally calmed down and I started to get my legs again as I approached the barriers.  Made a smooth pass and remount through the barriers then let everything out I had.  Attacked through the sand pits, rode the climb out of them, hammered hard on the pavement and I could see the last Bici guy I had been riding with all day.  He was now attacking as well and I knew I had to go if I wanted his spot.  I rounded the baseball field and came to the outfield section and caught his wheel.  Through the baseball field you can get a good look at the people ahead and behind you by about 200 yards each way because of the layout.  I knew he saw me coming and was worried he would pull up and rest until I caught him then attack immediately once I showed him a wheel so I was skittish about jumping on his wheel too soon.  I approached him quickly and sat in his draft for a couple seconds to catch my breath then moved up beside him and showed him a wheel.  Sat side by side for a couple seconds waiting to see if he would make a move or wait on me to go so I attacked as hard and fast as I could hoping to get a jump on him and not give him a chance to catch back up.  We were about 300 yards from the finish and I just put my head down and mashed until I saw the finish line.  I looked back as came up to the finish and I had held them off.  Whew, immediately went to my car and doused myself with a gallon of water and had to sit for a couple minutes while my body tried to recover.  Great race and really enjoyed riding with the Bici guys today, they were some strong riders and I can honestly say they pushed me to my limits. 

Finished 11^th on the day and was happy with the race I rode.  My strategy for the day was to ride smooth and smart and I accomplished that pretty well, except for the attacking one lap too early bit.  Anyway that’s 5 places higher than last race and I was able to get 1 more lap in this time than the last race at about +5 minutes longer, so all in all I think I improved by about 2 – 2.5 minutes in my overall timing of the course.  Next weekend I’m going to be in Nashville for a double header, racing both Saturday and Sunday so should be a lot of fun, or pain depending on what your definition of fun is.