Tour of KC

No cat 4 race on Friday so i raced Saturday and Sunday.

Both days were brutally hot and humid, although the sun was behind a cloud on Sunday.

The Tuesday prior i had a great ride with Pot Pie. Went for around 2.5 hrs and i felt like i could sprint out of the saddle the entire ride. Took Wednesday off, rode very slow for 45 min on Thursday and sat on the couch Friday. Showed up kind of late to the race on Saturday and then lined up in the back. Couldn't get clipped in and then was really at the back. Not the ideal race prep.

we had about 50 riders and the course is hard. Not a big rectangle where you can just sit in and assume you will stay with the main group.

On lap 3 or 4 i looked up and about 10 of the guys in front of me were in various stages of being dropped. It was a scary sight. i jumped around to try and catch back up with the group but it was tough going. i dont have much strength plus the longest strait section of the course was a head wind. Shawn from Big D helped  and together the two of us almost made it back, as in we were about 25 meters away... then i blew up. Then i quit. i raced for 13 minutes. I should of kept racing but i was pissed.

Pot Pie had an amazing race and took 3rd. I believe thats his best finish on a road bike. Two other guys were off the front solo and his group that sprinted for 3rd was only about 8 guys.

Hard course.

Sunday

Got in a much better warm up today. only 35 minutes but it was a quality 35 minutes, plus i knew my effort yesterday, however short, would help me be ready for today.

I started towards the back but as soon as we went i started moving up. i was feeling good right away. A good warm up is key for me. For the last half of the race i was never outside the top 25 and usually in the top 15. That was good because the race was sketchy. with 2 to go i was 2nd wheel but starting to get a little winded. Everyone jammed the first turn on the last lap but i got thru fast around the outside and was sitting about 5th. Then on the back side i didn't have the extra gear necessary and went from 5th to 24th by the time i crossed the finish line.

That seems to be my story this year. I'm a 4 speed in a 5 speed race.

Still time to change it, though.

X took 2nd in the 3/4 race on Sunday. She pretty much sprinted for the last 1/2 lap to catch the solo girl who had been in second. It was good catch a glimpse of the old X back in action.

good weekend