Dakota Criterium

I was not planning to race today. I decided Friday when I was riding home from work that I'd had it. I had a fitful sleep, or lack thereof on Friday night, with the realities of having sold our home sinking in. Saturday I worked my part-time job as a crisis social worker, and it was completely dead. Last night we wanted to take our minds off the move, so we watched Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, or whatever it is titled. It actually was a cool movie- especially since it is a remake of sorts (although it claims not to be).

Anyway, I woke up feeling ambivalent. I did not want to race. I thought it would be better just to take a long ride. I remember the race last year where few people turned up. As I went downstairs to swap out the racing wheels, my bike called out to me to be raced. I hurredly prepared, and my wife accompanied me to Rosemount.

Somehow the beautiful day turned into heat and wind. I quickly registered and warmed up. My legs were sore from my hammerhead commute on Friday when I took the long way home- including a bunch of hills that I probably shouldn't have ridden on my fixed. After maybe a half hour warm-up, I rode the course- which included a bunch of tricky turns that would surely blow the field apart. After a warm up lap, a few guys took off for another lap, and I followed. When I turned around, I noticed everyone was lining up for the start, so we cut through the course and I lined up in the back. Not a good place to start.

When the race started, one guy simply took off. A GP teammate held pace, and I could easily move up. I knew I didn't want to be at the end of the accordion when we hit the turns. The first lap was easy. The second was a bit rough, for some reason, and we split from the rest of the field. By the third lap, I realized my legs didn't have the snap to stay with the lead group. I knew I couldn't hold it, so I dropped off, rode alone for a lap as some stragglers caught up. We rode as a group of 6, behind the lead group. It was rather leisurely, like a fast club ride.

Our little group consisted of three other GP riders and two Silver Cycling guys- a total of six. One of the Silver guys tried to organize a rotating paceline, but pullling through was a bit iffy. At this point it was me, another GP guy, and the two Silver guys doing most the work. Eventually one Silver and one GP rider each faded, and we were now four. As we hit our final lap, it seemed no one wanted to work, so I took the wind for about half a lap. As soon as we approached the final series of turns, the big GP guy took off. I let the others fight it out with him.

As it turned out, I ended up 15th rather than 12th if I would have really contested it. No big deal. I had no regrets, especially considering my demeanor earlier in the day. I was worried that this would be a rather emotional race, considering that it will probably be the last I do in the Twin Cities. But it was a good time. It was nice to reconnect with some other teammates that I hadn't talked to in awhile, and nice to see Dan and Brian. It is strange how I see the same people almost weekly, in a sport largely ignored by the masses- and while I am only aware of a tiny corner of their lives, I feel like I almost know them. It is probably magnified by the amount of trust involved with racing, and the fact that it is something of a dangerous sport at times. I really hope that I can find this sense of community abroad. It is one of the things that I fear I will miss the most.

Afterward: When I returned home, I found my average heart rate was the same as Tuesday, and the average speed was the same. Tuesday was basically a time trial for me, as I rode solo after my chain issues. I guess we really weren't working that hard today... in the heat... and the wind.