Tuesday, September 21, 2010

The chill is in the air

Where did the season go? It seems like it was just a month ago that I saddled up for my first race ever, the Slammer Road Race. It was a last second affair, as I hadn't planned on racing the Slammer, but had planned on racing the Jason Broome Time Trial before. Well, the TT got postponed due to horrible weather, and so I made it into the Slammer. This wasn't going to be my best effort, as I had just spent the previous week in Conway Arkansas for work, and didn't get any training in at all. I flew back to the valley Friday night and Saturday morning there I was, full of nervous energy, more than a little intimidated, and hoping upon hope that I didn't kill anyone.

The race began with a rolling start, and the Cat 5's started off, racers all over the road, apparently no one could hold a line. I had to physically hold 1 guy off three times just to keep him from crossing over my front wheel, and as we made the corner and the pace car pulled off, the front took off and the rubber band stretched and stretched until those of us in the back half snapped off the back. That was the race. I spent the next 40 miles struggling against a fierce headwind and bitter cold, trying to pick off riders ahead of me 1 by 1. In the end, I beat out a guy I'd been chasing for about 10 miles at the line in a mad uphill "sprint" to the finish. And like that, it was done. I had completed my first race, and no one got hurt! I think I finished mid pack, but it was a great experience. I am hooked on this racing thing.

No comments:

Post a Comment