Highlights and Lowlights

Highlights and Lowlights
Couldn’t manage the Boulder-Roubaix, I have a list of excuse but lets just say I ran out of time. But that’s ok because there still was the “Andy Finch” down in Castle Rock. So I sat on the sidelines for the “Queen of the West” If you haven’t read about the finish of the Pro1/2 you missed a good one. Vitamin Cottage and TIAA-CREF were out front the whole race (76miles of it) and got pimp’d in the last quarter mile. They say timing is everything. The two leaders had pounded nails all day building up a 3 or 4 min lead a one point on but had slowed and allowed a small chase group to close the gap. With about a mile to go in this circuit race the leaders lap a “Haul’n Ass” guy. Little did they know another “Haul’n” Dude was less then 150 yards behind chasing. On the last climb (you could see the finish banner) The “Haul’n Ass” guy attacks strong pass the leader. They think he’s the lap rider they just passed! I can’t imagine how pissed they were when his hands went up in victory! What a finish…….
As for my first race of the year it had its up’s and downs. I felt good; I had forgotten how much racing hurts. But it was nice to get it roll’n again. The race started out as most of my races. Me doing way to much work in the beginning. I guess my dream of just hammering away from the group and driving away is just too strong. So in what has become my style I line up in the back and attack about a min in and pound nails out front in some kind of “I’m a bigger man the you” statement. It’s about as dumb a thing you can do, why do I do it? I’ve got no idea! I tell myself I’m not; “I’m sitting today” for the first half is the pre-race plan. But my heart rate at the line is too high and the pace is too slow. So I manage to lay down three really good attacks and it felt really good and it blew the field in half and strung it out good. But there was no way I was going to make it out front all day so com’n in to the third climb of the day I sat up and slip/slide through the pack and grab a wheel about ten back for a little rest. I lay in another attack in the same bad timing. Why you ask? It never fails I take a big pull and the prime bell rings “fifty on the next lap” WHAT! I’m gas’d. Knowing I’ll never recover for the impending sprint I grab a wheel and try to hang on (we’ve all been there). As we come to the line for the prime. The now small lead group (about 10) splitters like a 2x4 from Home depot. The chase is now on! I’m hurting but not dying. Just as the lead group settles in, to reel in the lone rider from the prime. I look down and the head for my Power-Tap head is gone! What-the! That blew the race for me. There was no way I was going to waste my Power-Tap for a race. I stop racing and stated looking for my computer total dejected! I guess my goaled didn't include equipment failure. On the plus side I did get some good training in extra racing was only a .25 so I ran the 1, 2, 3 and the 35 open. There was no way for me to have an affect in, but some great training none the less.
Sandy did her first road race which was great fun. She was very nervus about it, but did an incredible job. The more veteran races work her early in the race but she hung in there and put the hammer down and end up in a small chase group of three with three up the road. It looked like they were going to reel them in a one point. But there was one in her group that wouldn’t work. So the every time they would close it in, the leaders would put the wood to it and string it out again. She sprinted in for 5th spot and some cash to boot!
So it was a Great weekend of racing and now I’m thrashed……Yesterday was Bad today is better and tomorrow will be GREAT!