The truth is I train when I can. That almost always means a couple rides on the weekends of the long-ish variety. And when I can, I ride to work which makes for two short but high-intesity rides a day. Occasionally I'll train after work, but my schedule as it is makes it difficult to get motivated to head out at 7 p.m. when I've tended to my responsibilities and crank it for three hours.
So I do what I can.
I went out to Leavenworth to race all 49 miles of the Sheehan Memorial Road Race. When I did this race two years ago, the weather was a fistfight of wind, sleet, snow and rain. Today was decidedly calmer with temperatures of 45 degrees at the start and marginal breezes.
The pack went out and rode fairly steady for about 23 miles. There were a few mild attacks, but little to speak of other than a lone ranger from Omaha striking out on his own after about two miles. It would be about 42 miles until we'd catch him.
After we hit neutral support, people really started stepping on the gas. And when we left Atchison to head westward back to Leavenworth, that's when we really started getting after it.
At one point, the pack went up a long climb and splintered in to factions. I was in the back of the second one and instantly worried that if I didn't hitch a ride to the back of the first group, my race would be over. I was starting to labor a bit at this point, but I really stepped on it and pedaled until my eyes watered before I reached the lead group. Not long after that, I took a brief pull at the front to take some pressure off of Quiet B., who had been doing his fair share of the work.
We coasted back to Leavenworth and with about two miles left, I started to move toward the front to prepare for what was going to be a 16-person sprint for the finish. But as I moved outside and to the front, I couldn't tuck behind anyone. Left exposed and with about a mile to go, I figured, "Well, I'm at the front and I'm feeling good, so fuck it, I'm going to try to win."
To gapped the pack for about half a mile before I got raided and meekly made my way to the finish. I probably finished 11th or 12th. I have no idea, really.
This was the type of race I would have gotten murdered in a couple of years ago. I would have had a difficult time bridging that gap that emerged with about 14 miles to go. And the sustained pressure in the last half of the race would have been tough for me to manage.
There's a few positives to take away from this race. I was pleased that I remained stubborn and kept with the group, despite a fair share of nerves heading into the race about my readiness to hang with the group for a 50 miles race. Speaking of nerves, I was also pleased that the nervousness of riding in a tight group that plagued me these last couple of years has subsided considerably. I pedaled comfortably in and around the group, making passes through narrow alleys and such.
Now if I can get around to doing some better, more consistent training, I might have enough in the tank the next time to sprout a stronger finish.
But more than that, it was just a hell of a lot of fun to race today. From riding up with some teammates to seeing other riders at registration to putting out a tough effort to finally heading back, it was a great time and it make me appreciate what fun the sport can be. I really missed that last year.
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