On Tuesday night I headed out to Spokane Raceway Park for a circuit course bike race, Twilight Series put on by the Baddlands Cycling Club. As I pulled up to the race I really wanted to do my best to look like a roadie but this wasn't covered in my pre-race internet reading...so I was just gonna have to fake it.
Once the paperwork was filled out, I headed over to the race director and planned to sign up for the "C" pack but after talking to the Race Director, I was in the "B" pack or better known as "OHH CRAP"...Go Big or Go Home...Right? For all of you newbies (from the wisely veteran)...this race there are 4 separate groups or packs- A, B, C and Womens (though women can race in any pack they want).
After getting all geared up and pinning my number to my side...I was ready to go. Well kinda, as I was watching Jessi kick some serious butt in her race, a 'real' roadie asked my why I had my number on upside down (but to my credit, it was actually sideways and couldn't be read from the finish line)...but so much for faking it.
Tactic 1- Recce the Course- So before the first race started, I did a lap or two around the course and did my best to develop my race strategy which was actually pretty simple...do whatever everyone else is doing and try not to crash.
Tactic 2- Warm up with Sprints- This actually worked quite well as I was sprinting back and forth to the porta potty...I think my nerves had the best of me.
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| Riding in the pack! |
Tactic 3- Figure out the 'Main Players'- Yeah this didn't happen...I didn't know anyone there and for all I knew since I signed up on the Arrivee team...I was handed that title :)
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| Out in front...not really sure what I was doing up there... |
Tactic 4- Still don't know what this means but I stayed with the main pack so I am pretty sure I did some of this at some point in the race.
Tactic 5- The Break- These definitely occurred many times throughout the race. I was never actually part of one but did make sure to get near the front as the pack began to bridge up...yeah that's right I just used the term 'Bridge Up' and actually knew what it meant...been watching too much of Le Tour.
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| Leading the pack back up! |
Tactic 6- The Attack- I never attacked on my own but definitely followed many...this by the way is where the legs REALLY start to burn.
Tactic 7- The Finish- Even though I have watched the stage finishes in Le Tour a hundred times, I can guarantee that you do not actually learn anything. The burn in the legs, the many different lead outs and the shear speed at which it occurs is crazy. This was by far the hardest part and it was humbling to watch so many racers just fly past. No hands in the air for me :(
All in all this was an absolute blast. I was in the main pack the entire time and never felt like I couldn't compete with these roadies...well until the end. But that is what happens when you have trained for an Ironman and have absolutely no sprint legs.
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| Jessi before her race! |
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| Roger and Arrivee in pack A. |
Congrats to Jessi for racing her first road race and doing awesome. Check out her race report here. She was able to ride with the many veterans and ended up finishing forth. Also thanks to the Arrivee guys, especially Roger and Cris for all the tips helping ease my nerves...
Can't wait for the next one!!!
5 comments:
Nice work Senor! Looks like a fun way to mix it up and a solid shock to the system ;)
Nice work steve that looked like it was pretty fun, it is always nice to mix it up.
You. are. fawesome. Period.
Love that you went out there even though you didn't really know what you were doing and then kicked butt! Way to go, Keven!
This just sounds like pain to me. And it is apparent that you are definitely a sucker for pain! Well done on enduring the pain and doing so well. Fmad as you are, you're still just as fawesome!
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