The Second Half

ASS WHOOPIN'

So I was feelin' pretty good about my MTB speed, and I was feelin' really good about how I have been climbing on the road bike. After reading an article about Oscar de la Hoya always challenging himself by taking on tough opponents, I decided to follow suit and show up for the weekly CRIT over at Fort Tuthill. I didn't want to bite off too much, so I rode over in time for the 'B' level race....which only two dudes showed up for. So, we waited until the 'A' racers arrived at 5:30pm. Now I have only heard of most of these guys - Pro, 1, 2 racers in town that usually do well in the regioal events. There were 25-30 guys, so it was a big group. The pace was instantly up to 28mph and I was 5th from last for the first 7 laps when I looked behind me and saw no-one.....those dudes were shelled and gone. Guys then started blowing up in front of me, and were pulling off to the right as the pace hit 32. I hung on as long as I could - looked at my heart rate monitor - and absolutely blew like a Ford Pinto engine on the freeway when I saw my HR at 96% of max for one full lap. There were 10 guys left at that point, and I had to fall off and let them go.

Fortunately, the top dogs don't mind if you recover, and climb back on when you are able - just so long as you stay out of their way.

To sum it up, I got blasted. I wasn't last, but I sure as hell wasn't even in the top 50% of that group. Later that night, I got that nasty cough in your lungs when you know you lit your lungs on fire with a hard effort. Jesus - this reality check made me realize just how superior these top road riders are. I need to go back to bed - I'm tired just typing this.

Sincerely,

Career Cat 4-5 rider