Battle Royale at Rock Hill Rain Fest
Ok, put your game face on. Its pouring rain and you are about to start a fast P/1/2 crit with some of the fastest guys around. Nervous? you bet ya, turn 5 is a fast downhill right hander that crosses several painted stripes on the road, better watch that one! Racing crits in the rain is just about as far from fun and sane as one can get, but once on the start line, you have to push out the fear and welcome confidence in knowing that lots of people were too chicken(smart?) to even show up.
Ever wonder what I think about in a race? Here was my stream of conscientiousness:
Bang, you're off, time for battle! Stay in the front, stay in the front. Don't let that guy cut you off. Feel your way through that turn, how fast can you go across that stripe? Whoa, 2 wheel drift, better watch that one. Follow that move, close that gap. Yikes, lost traction of the rear wheel, but hooked up again, scary! I can't see, too much spray from riders in front of me. Quit bumping me, that guy is sketchy. Stay in the front, stay in the front, the battle is on.
Repeat, repeat, repeat.
Oh man that guy is down, I'm over the median. My foot is stuck in his wheel. Flop on the ground. Get up, get up, get to the pit. Breath, breath, try to catch my breath before they push me back into the race after my free lap. Darn, I'm on the back, work my up. Work my way up to the front again. Thanks for the push Sean!
Follow that attack, it looks good. We've got a gap. Hang on, hang on. Gap is big, hang on, hang on. I'm dieing on the hill, can I carry a little more momentum into it? Oops, too fast, there goes the front wheel. Slip and slide on my back, over the median on my ass. Breath, breath, am I ok? nothing broken, back on the bike, to the pits. Free lap (thanks lenient officials) and back in the break. Hang on, hang on.
We're lapping the field! Wow there's not many people left. I see teammates, maybe I can get a rest. Oh no, attacks are flying and I'm on the back. Ouch, ouch, stay on, stay on. Thanks for the push Sean! I can't move up, too tired. Stay on, almost done.
Last turn, I'm going to make it. It's over, I'm ok, I finished 8th. Good work. Breath, breath, time to patch the road rash. The battle is over, smile, I survived.
Thanks Blair for patching me up!
Road Race:
Big props in the Road Race to Team Inferno for taking control and bringing back a break that had had over 4 mins on us! Nice to see a team actually organize for once. I made the winning break here as well, finished 6th on the day. A good weekend for me and Team CTM in the P/1/2.
Of course, we cleaned up in the masters' categories as well. I'll let someone else tell that story.
Ever wonder what I think about in a race? Here was my stream of conscientiousness:
Bang, you're off, time for battle! Stay in the front, stay in the front. Don't let that guy cut you off. Feel your way through that turn, how fast can you go across that stripe? Whoa, 2 wheel drift, better watch that one. Follow that move, close that gap. Yikes, lost traction of the rear wheel, but hooked up again, scary! I can't see, too much spray from riders in front of me. Quit bumping me, that guy is sketchy. Stay in the front, stay in the front, the battle is on.
Repeat, repeat, repeat.
Oh man that guy is down, I'm over the median. My foot is stuck in his wheel. Flop on the ground. Get up, get up, get to the pit. Breath, breath, try to catch my breath before they push me back into the race after my free lap. Darn, I'm on the back, work my up. Work my way up to the front again. Thanks for the push Sean!
Follow that attack, it looks good. We've got a gap. Hang on, hang on. Gap is big, hang on, hang on. I'm dieing on the hill, can I carry a little more momentum into it? Oops, too fast, there goes the front wheel. Slip and slide on my back, over the median on my ass. Breath, breath, am I ok? nothing broken, back on the bike, to the pits. Free lap (thanks lenient officials) and back in the break. Hang on, hang on.
We're lapping the field! Wow there's not many people left. I see teammates, maybe I can get a rest. Oh no, attacks are flying and I'm on the back. Ouch, ouch, stay on, stay on. Thanks for the push Sean! I can't move up, too tired. Stay on, almost done.
Last turn, I'm going to make it. It's over, I'm ok, I finished 8th. Good work. Breath, breath, time to patch the road rash. The battle is over, smile, I survived.
Thanks Blair for patching me up!
Road Race:
Big props in the Road Race to Team Inferno for taking control and bringing back a break that had had over 4 mins on us! Nice to see a team actually organize for once. I made the winning break here as well, finished 6th on the day. A good weekend for me and Team CTM in the P/1/2.
Of course, we cleaned up in the masters' categories as well. I'll let someone else tell that story.
posted by Josh Whitmore at
9:14 AM
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