For some reason that I'm not quite sure of I went to the NW Arkansas Spring Classic today. I know better than to race @ the end of a rest week, but smart is something I don't list on my resume. I would have been much better off to stay home & put the $35(that's right Highway robbery!) to something like coffee & a newspaper. Coker was dead set on going so I couldn't say no. For those of you who have never been to this race its got 2 small hills & LOTS OF F'ING WIND! about 40mph worth.
Short story long, first 5 miles Coker & I had to ride into the left side ditch to miss a road wide crash. Then 3 miles later I got a flat. No biggie have wheels in the wheel car. So I pull off my flat rear wheel & start to wait, & wait, wait, & wait, & wait some more. After almost 10 min I throw the flat back on & start riding back toward the start. After a mile I find the car. I had to ride in front of it to get it to stop. Then they gave me a 9 speed wheel, doesn't shift so well with a 10 speed set up. So then I get to chase back on from about 5 miles down. Thankfully the USCF official took mercy on me & let me motor pace @ about 40 mph. At the base of the big climb I finally caught on after 10 or so miles of chasing. Shit that hurt bad.
Not 10 miles after I caught back on I flatted my front tire. This change went text book. Then Coker & I started team time trialling to catch back on. I guess he got a little carried away & did his best baseball slide into a ditch, very spectacular. Pretty much the end of the race for us.
Lessons learned:
1: Don't race @ the end of a rest week.
2: Don't yell @ the official because you might need them to motor pace you back.
3: $35 is a ton of cash for nothing.
4: It sucks to drop out of races, don't know why its so popular.(this was the first cat 3 race I've ever DNF'D 2nd race all time)
5: I'm going to train my ass off because my legs told me some good things today.
6: If your in a break away make sure TJ is in it with you.
Tough day in Arkansas! How did the "someday I might finish a 1-2 race" boys do?
ReplyDeleteSo it was windy?
Man that sucks! Staying home would have been much better prospect. Glad you didn't go down at least. Hope Jimbo is okay, and $35 is a lot for a race.
ReplyDelete10 to 12 hours of sleep a NIGHT, are you f-in kidding me. Not to sound like Nelson but holy shit is your world gonna change in May.
ReplyDeleteAh the Hulk doesn't read my blog much. I normally sleep 4 hrs a day(not night) that was a once every six months kind of occurance. I haven't slept that muc in a week in maybe a year. The BMC North boys showed but did not race.
ReplyDeleteWhy would they drive to Arkansas, be on a team from Arkansas, be in Arkansas and not race in Arkansas?
ReplyDeletep.s. you world is still really going to change in may!
ReplyDeleteI have zero fantasies about my world not changing. I know I'll get to become like Skippy & Crash & have to spend vast amounts of time training indoors so I can watch my wee one. I do know after 4 years of sleep deprivation I as ready as you can get for that.
ReplyDeleteYou'd have to inquire with the BMC North boys on that last one.
uhhh-
ReplyDeletesorry I havent kept up on my requisite blog reading-
4 to 5 hours a night should put you right in line with babydom.
Hulk with all that freetime I figure you had nothing but time to read blog's. You get always get Jimmy to write you a synopsis(put it in his job description) Right back on track today; noon to 4:30 up & ready to go.
ReplyDeleteI didn't race on Sunday because I raced on Saturday and got my ass kicked on lap one of a nine lap race. I was already in Arkansas...I didn't drive down there not to race. There is no glory in being a new cat 2.
ReplyDeleteGunga, keep up the getting your butt kicked, it will pay off and you will be returning the butt kicking one day.
ReplyDeleteGlory or gory being a new Cat 2? Stop it your making me rethink my upgrade.
ReplyDeleteJimmy, maybe you should see if they have a Napoleon category. You would win that easy!
ReplyDelete