The things I think about.: Hopkins Crit.

I did two races yesterday. I didn't finish well in either of them. 20th in the 4/5 race with not much to report, and 2nd to last in the 3/4 race. The second was MUCH more interesting.

TWO High Five Bicycles in the race. Byrnesie and I both debuted new bikes. We both had Hollywood mentioning them when we were on/off the front. And that we were.

Cleary got a bit of a gap about 2 or 3 laps in. I tried to shut him down. Somehow we both ended up with a bit of a gap. Then I tried to get him to ride harder. He tried for a second and then reintegrated. I kept on. Then Ben Scherer (Brones) bridged up to me and kept me out of the headwind for a lap or two. That was VERY appreciated. I couldn't have asked for anything more. I wanted to keep moving, so I kind of untintentionally rode him off of my wheel. Few more laps alone and I see a Birchwood rider in the behind me. I didn't know who it was. I kept it up. He got closer, so I slowed a bit. Around turn 2 I saw him around the corner a ways back. I sat up and yelled at him to get on. He did. It was Nate! That was awesome! We rode off for another I have no idea how many laps. 5? 6? I have no memory of individual laps. We worked to together for few laps. Then Sam (Synergy) bridged up, or brought the field together. I couldn't tell. We re-integrated. I got back to about 5th wheel, and then decided that the pack wasn't the place for me. I didn't even think I'd finish this race, let alone do anything important. I gassed it again just before the finish line and went off alone for another 4 to 6 laps. Apparently the group was surprised by that. I think it was the coolest thing that I've ever done on a bike.

I got two primes in that sequence. I also allowed for the team (LG, Dis, and Byrnesie) to do very little work in the group. I got caught again with 6 to go. Right when Dis decided that that was the time we should be accelerating for the finish. Mark took the front and spit me out the back in about a half a lap. He's a monster. I just wanted to finish at this point. I rode alone by myself (yelling at one of the other Birchwood riders in the race to ride faster. I know he's strong. I've seen it. Don't know his name, though. The one that wears white shorts!)

I was very frightened of getting lapped in the last three laps. I was dragging. I desperately wanted to finish. I did. I gave the last little straight all I had left in the tank. Probably looked really silly sprinting with absolutely NO chance of getting any more spots, but I don't care. I have a thing about finishing strong. I don't care if you're dead last or first. Coasting across the line is disrespectful of the race. If you're coasting at the end, you're not racing. I come to race. Always.

Yeah. I spent a long time away. Hollywood mentioned High Five Bicycles a bunch. And I can't thank him enough for it. I had an amazing time on the bike, and I want to do it again. I know that I am bad at moving through the field when the pace is high. I need to stay out of it, I guess. I am kicking myself for not gunning it when I had a little gap off the front with 3 to go in the 4/5 race. I let confidence beat me when I didn't recognize anyone, and therefore didn't know who was strong. I'll be honest, I actually thought I was one of the stronger riders in the field. I thought a top 10 was a given. I was WAY wrong. That won't happen again.