State Road Race Champs..OUCH

Sunday I pummelled myself racing around the Air Force base chasing a victory in the state road race championships. The course was three laps of a 9 mile circuit that featured a long steady climb, one short steep pitch and lots of fast, flat roads.
We started off at 8 AM, early and COLD! It was about 60 degrees with dark grey clouds and the continuous threat of rain. Thankfully there was little wind though as I heard later in the day the wind became a factor.
No one had really ridden the course so we didn't quite know what to expect. Most of us figured the first lap would be easy, but when we turned left and headed up what turned out to be a deceptively nasty long climb that hope was shattered.
I was cross eyed just trying to stay in the top ten. There was a little break between the riders, which was  a good thing. When we finally crested the top we had a fast downhill to some flats to recover. That was short lived as we hit a short, 200 meter, climb that just hit you when you were down. The rest of the circuit was fast. To my surprise quite a few riders caught back on the group and when we turned around for the 2nd lap we were a big group again.
Just like the 1st lap, the group split again up the hill and I was all out staying in touch. This time on the flatter sections some of us worked together to keep the pace up so the group wouldn't catch back on. I took some pulls at the front to do my share of the pace making.
When we turned for the third lap we were down to 12 or so. I knew it would be decided on the hill so I prepped for that. Unfortunately it didn't work out for me.
With only 200 meters to go to the top I cracked, Hard. All the gas just went out of me and I knew I was done. I looked back and saw a rider coming by me. I used him as a pacer and put in an effort to bridge up to him. I actually passed him at the top and at this point I was only 15 seconds back of the group.

At the front of the group

I hoped to catch back on and when the rider I had just passed went by me I should have jumped on his wheel and followed him, but for some reason I didn't. He went for it and ended up catching the group.  I was left in no man's land with no hope of catching back on. 12 guys working hard are no match for a lone rider.

So I checked behind me and saw a small group of three coming. I tried to hold them off to the end, about 3 miles, but they caught me with about a mile to go. I jumped in and drafted a bit to recover. We played some cat and mouse games and in the end I was beaten by only 1 rider in that group, and finished in 14thHad I stayed with the group I wouldn't have necessarily won, but I probably could have been 8-10th. As it was I took 14th. Not bad and I wasn't upset with my effort. I raced aggressively, didn't get caught in the back and was just 20 seconds short of sticking with the top guys.

Riding hard

 

 

Sprinting for 13/14th place.

I was pretty tired afterwards and after a quick spin to warm down I was still freezing. It was barely 65 now and the grey clouds were getting worse. I piled the gear in the car and we headed to Morrison where I had a great breakfast at the Red Rock Grill. Strawberry French Toast with eggs hit the spot!
Next week will be interesting for sure. I may do a crit race on Sunday, but that will be a last minute decision.