Attendees: Todd, Seon, Verm and me
Strava: http://app.strava.com/rides/1375551
Believe me when I tell you that I really did not want to write about tonight's ride. In fact, forgetting about this ride can't come soon enough. It was my worst outing ever, but I'll write about it anyway for historical value as well as try to take something positive from it. The crappy thing about it is that I'll have to wait for redemption next year.
During the warm ups, one of the things Todd and I decided to do was hold back and just ride in the pack to take advantage of the draft. It sounded like a good plan but the one thing we forgot to do was get into position to be able to have this work effectively. At the start, we were already at the very back of the pack. After the race started, I really didn't do too much to better my position, but Steve and Todd were able to work their way up fast enough. I figured this race would start just like all the other races in the past where nothing would happen on the first lap, but this ultimately ended up to my early demise.
How early you ask? After the first turn! My trust in nothing happening in the first lap was shoved up my ass. The accordion effect after the first turn with me near the very back was enough to snap me off right away. I had to work my around some riders from what I could recall, but all I could do was watch the peloton ahead of me keep inching away. Todd and Verm had latched on ahead of me, and all I could do was watch. I tried to close the gap, but it was too much to do on my own. I had one other guy try and help me, but we were just not able to do so. Looking at Steve's Strava stats, it looks like the first lap average speed was 26.6. No F'in wonder.
Seeing that we were already dropped, the guy I rode with asked if we should cut across and re-join. While the thought was appealing, the thought of explaining that to other BAM members seemed to outweigh it. It's like quitting, and that just isn't in my make up. He ended up cutting across with me, but I had gotten together with another rider where we just made the best out of it and get a good workout.
We worked together throughout the rest of the race, and we did manage to catch up to Steve who held us off for a while after he dropped from the pack. Steve joined us, and we got to run another 2-3 laps with him to the end.
Todd did well and stayed up in the pack working with a younger guy at times to keep him there. I'm really sorry I didn't get to help him, but as we all know and expect, Todd's a workhorse who can do what it takes to get it done.
For the rest of the night after the race up to now, all I can think of was how my disappoint must have been like the Griswold's family in the Vacation movie when they couldn't go into Wally World after traveling so far. I came to race tonight only to be locked out after the first turn, so it was a rather bitter pill to swallow knowing I paid 15 bucks today just to train.
Anyway boys and girls, racing is that way sometimes, and I again learned a valuable lesson: don't be a dumbass!
Thanks to Pam, Kelly and Tracy (Pam's co-worker) for coming and supporting our race.
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