Races at the Lakes #4

So a year ago today at the time of the raing i was sitting shotgun in a 6 person plane on my way to spend 2 and half weeks on a baisically desrted island in the Bahamas, with no bike, that turned out to be one of the better life experiences i have ever had......today(1 yr later) i rode in the rain from my parents house 35 miles to race in the rain in Munroe Falls, Where oh Where Did I Go WRONG!?!?!?!??!!!!!!!!!!

Rish is on the injured list because of some strange back injury he sustained in one of those 'worlds strongest man' comps you see on espn, I think he was trying to throw and empty keg over a 50 ft wall or something, tragic reall.

Swain is out at Collegiate Nats (COLLEGE!!!!!!) thus was not here, So I wore a OSU cycling camp (that I stole from him) to show my support

Grimm and I were in full effct at RATL #4, all the usually Cleveland Guys were there, so needless to say Paul Martin made us all look like we were riding tricycles

The couse is really easy and unselective and people were racing like skirts, so nothing held until 4 to go (or so i thought) i bridged up and when we went thru the start finish it read 1 to go, anyone who says A.D.D. isnt real is an idiot, so i was kinda happy about that

So Here we are, 1 top go, The couse is wet, 7 of us are gone, with about 25-30 Guys behind that were 1)really tierd 2) going to catch us if we didnt do something 3) were going to turn and already sketchy finish (foreshadowing) into a disaster if we went into that in a full blown field sprint.....Not Very Good! (NVG!)

I got to the front and hit it hard enough to keep us gone, we went into the last turn and the sprint was going to go from the right, i went left, 1) cause i cant sprint 2) i knew someone was going to crash 3) I like going to the left more cause im strange

So there was a crash, Jeremy went down, Jim went down even harder and now is the proud owner of about 2 square feet or road rash....I rolled in for 5th

Race Notes: I put Icey Hot and Baby Oil on my legs to keep them warm in the rain: afterwards it looked like i went swiming in super glue and then played in grass clippings, suck

My dad was at the race and listened to the Doors for the better part of 3 hours, while I was racing

John Minturn was at the race, hes pretty sweet

Next weekend is at Breaksville, which is the Cleveland World Championships, sweet.

Racing in Ohio was waaaaay more fun last year when Braumburger and Martin were on different teams, Im going to sign a petition for next season that they can no longer race togeher, anyone in?

College!!!!!!!!

It was a great race started off where i wanted and kept it saw an attack starting, followed it and counterd when they slowed, too bad i have a bigger head than legs it got them going. I held on as long as I could and got poped three laps to go I was so mad at my self. Oh well better luck next time. I am so sory Jermey I felt so bad because you were doing so well :( Ryan you looked great hope the cheering helped! Jim your a beast great job!

I liked this course from last year, but my legs were not responding on the tiny hill on the backside. I had pulled a couple times early in the race, more to keep myself out of trouble in the turns, and be at the front in case something happened. It kinda worked; but the climb was killing me, especially when there were attacks. When Brooke counter-attacked on the hill, I think it was lap 6, that popped me, and it took me almost half a lap to chase back on. The next climb, halfway up, I knew I wasn't going to be able to stay with them, and threw in the towel (mental note, don't listen to the voices next time--lactic wasn't as bad as my mind was making me think it was).

Well, I saw Brooke and another racer I just met, Erin, also get popped just before the crest. That was what I needed, something to chase after. As I was coming up on Brooke, near the start/finish, I told her to grab my wheel, we'd chase down Erin. I really hoped to just get by Erin, but she had enough to grab a wheel, too. Next time around, Jim shouted that Wendy was close behind, so we slowed a little, let her come on board. Pretty quicky, she recovered, and wow, up to the front she went, driving the pace. She pulled the next two laps, and that's what set Brooke and me up for the finish. I started my sprint way early, before the last turn, hoping to pop off Erin, but not loose Wendy. Didn't quite work. Brooke stayed on my wheel, and oops, had more juice, and passed me well before the line. Thanks, Wendy, for all that work.

I love Crits, I especially love Crits on wet pavement. Hmmm...Not a bad race after all. Hung onto the field longer than usual for me, then spent a couple of laps alone. Then around the corner, what do I see, Shari, Brooke and one other woman. Pulled for Shari and Brooke the last two laps. Got shoot down in the sprint to the finish. I am getting used to this course.

Drove the cat 3 race near the front, if not on it, all day. I tried to get away but never really got seperated for long. I seemed to get in the breaks and people would stop working. Toook me a few laps to figure out that Allied Decails was trying to wear me down. Had to watch all the breaks because I was by myself, in a sea of Allied Decails (Summit FreeWheelers), Didn't let anything get up the road, unfortunately I had to chase far too often.

On the final lap I was second going up the climb then was swarmed at the top, got boxed in and by the time I got free it was far too late.

Found out later that was the fastest pace of any 3 race in the series...hmm, maybe I had something to do with that.

As soon as I finished the 3 race I rolled back over the line, gulped a couple of gels and changed bottles from Brooke as Wendy and Shari pinned my next number on. I had about 30 seconds to spin out the legs before the ref blew the whistle to line up for the 1-2-3 race.

Paul Martin and a Torelli guy leapt off the front on the second turn. Looking ahead I could see Jeremy near the front but nobody else really chasing. I quickly picked my way through and went after them dragging 1 guy with me. I actually managed to bridge up to them, however being a little worn down from the last race was given a schooling on the climb. As I floated back Jeremey said not to worry about it.

It seemed that everytime I started to move forward to get up next to gamm or Jeremy the pack accelerated and I wasn't able to see if I could help. I did manage to throw in a couple of attacks, but being a new 3 to them was left to flounder by myself off the front and get reeled back in fairly quickly.

In the end I was still in half shock that I managed to stay with the field the entire time. As we come into the final stretch I hear shouts of a crash and see bodies, bottles and Jeremy pop up and run out of the way. Needless to say there wasn't much of a sprint left in people then and I stole a few places on the finish.

What a difference in the 1-2-3 race though. People kept their lines, the whole peleton seemed very fluid (litterally and figuratively, thank you rain showers!). At times we seemed to float up the climb noticably faster then the 3 race.

Thank you Wendy, Shari, and Brooke for cheering and getting me ready for the second race. Jeremy, I hope you're feeling better.

Need some prayers for several wonderful people. Laura, Lyme Disease, (last week I mentioned her in my results) please get the word out about Lyme Disease. Brett Bailor was at the race today, what a great guy. I talked with him and he needs prayer for two tumors, causing his left side of his body to be numb and his right side of his body to be weak. Brett's sister-in-law Shannon, is expecting Quintuplets and is on bed rest. Please Lord be with our prayer concerns and for those I didn't mention as well. AMEN.

Going into today's race I was so not ready for it! I rode 12 hrs the week before and yes I still have mono. Weak and dizzy on Tuesday helped verify that. So what did I do? Road a little too hard on Wed with the Orrville club in the rain. I guess I will just have to take the next 7 days off and see if that will help. 3 laps into the race I thought it was a good time to attack and I had them all chasing me down in single file with gaps in between each other, great sight to see. Something about doing a training race, I never stick to my plan.

After my attack there went Paul and Brian for the rest of the race. I took it easy the rest of the race and was looking good until the last 100 meters. Jeff was in first and started his sprint a long way before the last turn keeping him in the best position. Then Jim was on his wheel and I was behind Jim. We made it through the last turn and I thought I had 2nd locked up for the Overall. Nope, race wasn't over yet. Jim fell in front of me while I was feeling great for the sprint and making my move to the right, in my 53/11!

So 3rd overall isn't bad for having mono, but in reality not worth it. We love this sport so much why do we do the things we do!