Heating up...
With the Iron Horse around the corner, and the Gallup squash blossom classic this weekend...things are definitly heating both with the temp and the race season...Last year at the Gallup race we started at 12:30 with temps over 95...holy @#!* it was hot! The race was only 21 miles and a time of about 1:30, but I just remembering sufferring like I have never sufferred for it being such a short race...I swore I would never do it again, but when they handed me a check for $150 for second and kicked the dogger down $250 for the win...My mind changed, not that $$$ at races is everything, but it sure helps! This year Miles and Cricket are heading down with McKenzie and I. There is a road omnium event as well as the MTB so it should be fun, and with some earlier start times hopefully its not as scorching!
Had a great race last weekend, getting the win in the Cortez, Ride the Lightning...Felt great, got off the front with Ned and Cale and rode with the two of them for about the first 45min. Things got a bit strung out on this loose twisty dirt road section, but I felt so good in the single track I wasn't too worried about conserving a bit of energy and losing a bit of time on this section. As I approached a hard right on the road, there was a small two track that went straight. I started down this two track before realizing that I wasn't going the right way, and decided to flip it...I got back out on the road where it opened enough to allow you to see at least a minute ahead...I couldn't see Cale or Ned, and thought well, I'm either winning or they just dropped the hammer! I figured I better put my head down either way, to protect the lead or to hold off a hard chasing group of Gould, Miles, Lewis, Cheeney, and Daniel Murray...Phil's World(the Cortez race course) is a super fun course, really twisty, up and down, tall rollers...very similar to the terrain here in A-town. I won by over a 1:30, with Ned telling me later that he didn't think they lost that much time on their diversion, and that him and Cale were on the all out chase to bring me back...That makes you feel good! Never had beat Ned, and even if it might be by default, I'll take it!
Well, looking forward to the Iron Horse. It's gonna be brutal, as I upgraded to a Cat. 2...I feel I'm climbing decent right now, but hanging beyond Shalona in that field may be an accomplishment in itself...Looking forward to the Crit, that's such a fun race...I've heard Moninger and a few others will be here, so I'd like to be in the group that gets lapped and maybe be in there for the sprint...Or something like that...Well, gotta roll see you round!