Out of Retirement

Yes it’s true, I attached a race plate to my Cerlevo, pinned number to my jersey and entered a road race. It’s been 5-6 years since I’ve road raced. The nerves were certanly getting to me, day’s before, and all after noon on the day of the race. The nerves settled down once I registered and started my warm up.  The race was a  week night Crit race at the formal gardens at Assinaboine Park. Short, Sweet and a lot of fun. 

The race started out by the Jr. Provincial team setting pace, so I hopped in 4-5 wheel. 3 or 4th laps in, and a Woodcock team member came to the front and set a high pace. I thought ok let see what you can do, I covered for 1/2 of a lap. Then on the east side he pulls aside and I pulled through and upped the pace. Coming around the long corner, I drifted to the west side to gutter him, and he didn’t like it one bit….. but I held my line and held pace. And that was the race line. The wind was from the east so easy to gutter people on both sides. Ah the old race tactics came back quick.

next few laps Rod V. worked with me and we got away, Dave p. caught us and couldn’t work. Rod and I worked, well he work harder. The two of them were killing themselves. then Matt caught and helped a bit. We got a 1/2 lap on the feild, then Matt pulled  through and told me to get on his wheel, He hammered, that killed Rod. I told Matt not to kill him self, but 3/4 of a lap later, he pulled off and told me that he was done. Then I was by my self and  less than 1/2 of a lap from catching the feild. Allen who got dropped helped me a bit and then I caught on. I sat in a litle bit and then pulled out front. 
I pulled away from the group, so Rod couldn’t close, ( I don’t think he was, but I looked back ever corner to check). and then with two laps to go I simply road away from the few other lapped riders that hung onto me.  Soloed the last lap to take the race proper. 

Over all I felt good and had more. the frist bit of the race I was sitting up front and leading a fair bit, I kept thinking, this is not what my coach want’s me to do. But I felt good, and I was going with the flow. 

Winer work pays off. but still room to improve. It was good to be back on the Start line, but it was better crossing the finish line .

More racing to come.