Beast of Burden

I really do love racing my bike.  I mean I really really do love it.  I just wish I was better at it.  I had goals at the beginning of the Georgia State Series and so far I'm within my expectations but secretly I was hoping for more.  I probably didn't do enough high end work earlier in the OMTP.  Yes, I have some doubts. 

This past weekend was the 4th round of the series which was held at the Flat Rock Park in Columbus, Ga.  The trail kinda sucks, it goes from wide open to so tight you can barely get your handle bars between the trees.  No flow at all.  My race strategy was to get out front early so I could get through the only real technical section first.  I bet it's the last time the group lets me get away with that.

I lined up on the outside and got a good jump on the 11 other old farts and was able to keep it till we got to the rocks.  I had had trouble clearing this section in practice (the kid did also so it wasn't just me).  You threaded your way between rocks and into a rooty off camber turn, which amazingly I managed to clean, then onto a rock ledge which turned 90 degrees down hill to another 90 degree turn at the bottom.  I unclipped one pedal and pivoted at the apex of the second turn.  Unfortunately for the pack just off my wheel I may have inadvertently come to an almost complete stop before making the turn.  I heard "Ohfffffff" followed by bike parts making contact with rocks.  Then "rider down".   I pedaled like mad to the up hill switch back where I immediately fell over, blocking the whole trail and forcing me and anybody left behind me to run the hill.

I lost 2 places at the top of the climb.  The rest of the race was pretty uneventful.  A local rider who was not in the points got out ahead of Santa Claus who was in front of Clydesdale who was in front of me, leaving me in 4th.  In the last woods section I could see Clydesdale just ahead of me but I was spent.

I spent the whole race at or above 90% of my maximum heart rate and I don't know about you but I think that's too much.  At the finish I was wasted.  I rode by the top three guys after the finish line and gave them a "good ride", they didn't flip me off so maybe they forgot my first lap fiasco.

The Kid got another second, MB got a second, and PB got a first.  The Tallahassee contingent is getting smaller.

There's just 2 more races left in the series.  I supposedly have "peaked" in my training cycle but I haven't noticed much difference between peak and build as far as my fitness goes.  Then again, if I'm having fun, does it really make any difference?