Thursday's In Medford are Champion Thursday Nighter's A local Crit type road race that runs around a drag race track. This being my first year doing road race, I have modist goals for this year..
First, I would like to finnish in the Peleton. I know this may seem somwhat of a strange thing to aim for, I want to be middle of a pack finnisher! Yeah!. In all seriousness When there are only A & B cats with no age & skill seperation within, I think this might be feasable.
Second, I want to win an intermedeate sprint for points. So far my best run netted me a 5th place run on a solo sprint. Getting a poor placing (10th) leading up to the final turn in to the downhill 1/8 mile run followed by another 1/8 mile flat to the finnish line, I powered past the non sprinters & latched on to the wheel of the leading sprint contender for that race.
Now the chess match....Wait for it....Wait for it.... Wait for it.....GO!.....GO!, GOGOGOGOGOGO!!!!!
As I look downn, I realize I pulled past the lead rider sure, Un fortunatly, I had someone stuck on my rear wheel. Pedal Damn It! Time for all the 200RPM Singlespeeding to pay off. Ok in third now, 1/16th Mile mark. More Power needed.
Harder I push, gritting my teeth, I look down at my front wheel & lay down ever ounce of stregenth I have thinking of my personal favorite roadie Thor. Final 10 Meters, Still in 3rd, gaining on 2nd, 1st already across the line...Look right, & what do I see but 2 Flywheel riders jumping out from 4ths shadow. Damn...Inside line, good lead out, even pedal strokes, I was doomed.
Post race, I review the data from my computer, Not bad I think. Remember down hill lead up followed my long, flat finnish sprint. Max speed on the flat-38.6mph. That was 4 weeks ago. So fat, that is as close as I have gotten to my goals. Things I need to work on:
1- Re-Intergration with the peleton, I don't have the nerve to just jump back in mid pack.
2-Quit chasing down lead out riders on every attack. I keep playing the odds that the lead out will pull away & all I get for the effort is pulliing the feild up to the breakaway
3- MORE FITNESS
Well at least I only have to suffer through aone more day at work before the weekend rest/training rides.
