State Championship Road Race

This is me and a team mate waiting to line up to start.

Starting rollout.

Pack going by on lap one. I'm in there but you can only see my helmet in the back (behind the guy in the red and white jersey.

My team mate won the race this is him coming across the line.

This is me coming across the line. by the look on my face and the victory salute you'd think I'd just won a tour stage. haha.  I was very happy it went well. so A little victory dance just for me.

This last saturday was the state championship road race. It sounds much more prestigious that is it . It's just another road race. It's just that it's the last for the season. I went and raced. I a happy to report that it went really well, on the joel scale that is. I felt relatively good throughout the race and finished somewhere in the middle. A group of about 20 got away on down wind sprint during the first lap. I held on for about another 15 miles or so then fell off on a big climb on the second lap. 

The front group just barely got away from me. But I had decided that in this race vs previous races i would not blow up trying to stay with the front group. So I put in the hardest effort i could that I thought I could recover from well enough to finish somewhere in the mix. At durand and marty I chased the front group to collapse then got passed by everyone later in the race as I was spent. this time after the front group got away I managed my effort to keep it sustainable then waited for groups to work with from the rear to catch me and I piled on the first one. there were 3 riders from birchwood, a grand performance guy and another i didn't recognize. 

Quick note on the birchwood guys, Super good guys, very cool and good to share the burden with. Kudos and thanks to the birchwood guys.

They haven't posted the results yet but I think I finished in the low 30's somewhere. There were 49 starters. 

While my finishing place doesn't reflect it I did much much better. I was very comfortable in the peloton. I managed my effort much better. I still had some cramping issues which is odd. I've ridden further and harder with the club and not had that happen. I think it's the food and drinks that i'm taking prior to the race that may be the culprit. have to do some experimenting there.

It was nowhere near as painful as durand or marty. I was spent when i crossed the line but the agony getting there was much less.

I am looking forward to the spring races now. I think If i stay on track with my training I may hang on the the front pile in one of the spring races, cross your fingers.