Cold Day in Georgia

Southeastern Racing Championship Series, round 2, Conyers, Ga.  April 8, 2018.

The week leading up to this race all my markers had been showing up low.  Weight was up a little and HRV4 was on the low side.  Training rides had seemed harder than usual, plus my race bike had an issue with the free hub (again) and I wasn't positive it was going to be fixed by the time we left.

All that noise combined with a sketchy weather forecast may have had an influence on my pre race attitude.

But really all that stuff is just wasted energy.  Thoughts and worry about things that are out of my control or really have no bearing on a Sunday race.  I know better but still.....

Practice Lap

It was flooding when we left Havana.  The bike had been fixed and I'd picked it up Friday.  The forecast was still calling for rain in Conyers plus temps in the mid 40's.  The further north we drove the less it rained.  Finally arriving at the track to perfect conditions.

Blake had gotten there ahead of us and had already taken a lap.  I suited up and did 2 laps, because, well, it was just too much fun.  The OMTP had warned me to not ride over an hour and just do a couple of openers but I just couldn't resist that second time around.  This trail has two rather long (for a Florida boy) hills and I admit even at an easy pace I could feel it.

Once again we had dinner at Chili's and found our hotel after wards.  Ah, the hotel.  It wasn't their fault that the idiot in the room next to mine cranked up the TV and NEVER TURNED IT OFF!  I called the front desk at 3 am, they called the room and got no answer.  When we checked out at 8 in the morning it was still blaring.  I love my fellow man.

Race Day

The predicted rain never did materialize and we awoke to a cloudy, blustery day, with temps in the upper 40's.

Blake's race went okay other than a mysterious shifting issue the first two of four laps.  Two guys got off the front and put a pretty big gap on the group Blake was in.  He faded back to 4th but managed to beat his competition in the series.

I had 7 in my class with only one that I recognized (Stan).  The start straight was long with a small hill at the end before it turned into single track.  I hammered as long as my old lungs could stand it and  got to the trail in first with Stan right on my wheel. 

But see, I didn't know it was Stan.  I thought it was one of the other riders I didn't know.  He stayed on my wheel and wouldn't answer when I tried to talk to him.  "Who is this guy?"  I thought, "Why is he being so serious?"

When we got to the first hill I managed to put a couple of Clydesdale's between us on the climb, then I shifted at the top and got out of Stan's sight.  Still not sure it was Stan at this point, I didn't want to look back till we went through the start/finish.  I didn't see anyone in my class close to me.

So, 3/4 of the way through the second lap after passing what must have been 10 riders in other classes, I get behind this dude.  

"Rider back" I yell.  He doesn't move over.  I wait then:
"Rider back, not in your class"  nothing.
So I try to go around him, he cuts me off.
"Anytime you get an opening I'd appreciate it, how about right up here?" 
He stays in the middle of the trail and says "If you want around you have to pass me"
"Bullshit!  I'm not in your class!" then I think I called him an asshole.  Then he moved over.
"Why didn't you say that before?"
"I DID!"

Anyhoo, I'm pretty sure he tattled to the promoter about me, I saw him shaking his head at the finish.  Poor sportsmanship on my part.  I shouldn't cuss people.  But damn it there's a race going on and it's hard not get amped up.  I won my class then almost froze waiting for podiums.

This race was weird.  I never felt "right".  Maybe tired?  Just an off day?  The cold?  Looking back I expended too much energy on things that didn't matter.  I should have just relaxed and enjoyed the day.