Tough Race

Training races are good for training (natch) and trying things you wouldn't normally try.  Case in point: This past Tuesday's Race at the Rent'.  Since I've been doing better than expected in the "A" races lately, I decided to see how I'd do after riding 85 miles on Monday.

Well, let's just say that I didn't quite get my clock cleaned.  I wasn't dropped.  But any illusions I had that I'd "arrived" already as a Cat3 were a little less clear, fading into the fog of my hypoxia.

Reviewing the ledger of the night's events:

LIABILITIES

• A Cyclonaut and I attacked from the gun.  I never attack from the gun, and for good reason.  When we were caught after a couple laps (because I knew it was not a matter of "whether" but "when"), I was cooked.
• Because I was cooked for a few laps, I couldn't respond to any other attacks - and consequently missed the winning break.
• Not only did I miss the winning break, but my fatigued state kept me on the wrong side of many subsequent splits in the field - which I then had to try to bridge to.  Or find a willing tow truck.
• I couldn't solo for more than a lap or so at a time before getting caught.
• The break eventually lapped us so while I finished with the remainder of the pack, I finished a lap down.

ASSETS

• I was pleasantly surprised that I could continue to chase, attack and counter-attack after only brief recoveries, and despite legs being pretty spent from the previous day's miles.
• I obviously felt good enough (or was it plain stupidity?) to go with an attack from the start.  I learned that, for the time being anyway, I have a good 1 to 1.5 laps of solo effort in me - a huge improvement over last season - and not bad for a "sprinter."
• Despite being marked pretty thoroughly, I was able to attack and get away more times than I expected to (note that I didn't add "and stay away").  So my jump is pretty good.
• I was especially proud of my last attack, which gapped the field immediately and would have "won" (among the lapped field), if I hadn't launched a lap too early.  When there's conflicting information between a ringing bell and a megaphoned official, which controls?  The official.

So all in all, while it was certainly a tough race, I learned a lot.  And learning is what training races are all about.

Comments

[Mrs SDC]

Not to nitpick, but assets and liabilities go on a balance sheet which means they need to balance....Since you have 4 assets and 5 liabilities, you must have some negative equity somewhere and that really hurts my brain. Also, assets are usually listed first to make the liabilities less scary.

[Rishabh]

First "Lol@ comment from Mrs. SDC".

There, I said it.

Second, the bell was for Aidan and the blokes ahead of you. They'd already lapped you by then ;)

[jookey]

hey, good race. you have to pay attention at the end when all is blurry and things are out of focus. if it had been the last lap, it is doubtful the field woulda let you get off the front. jumping with two to go is different than one to go. the sprinters are foaming at the mouth at the end. best to go early at the MAX distance you can hold it.