Marian Crit+ Victory Crit. Lots more to come.

Man, I've been slacking. I think I just haven't had too many good stories to tell recently. School is going down to the wire. With only 1.5 weeks left, the teachers have been loading on the projects and workload. It's pretty overwhelming sometimes, but in the end, I know I'll survive. Hopefully.....



So, about a long time ago was the Marian Crit, and the course was pretty decent. It was made up mostly of sweeper turns, with a loooooong finishing straight(700 meters-ish). Joe and I didn't have too much of a plan. The main goal was just to finish, since we both had just gotten back from training camps. It started out with a respectable field of about 50-60, but only 29 people would finish. The first lap I rolled off the front, mainly to get away from the first lap jitters of the peleton, and also to get warmed up. When we were brought back, the counters came and went yet, I found myself still in the top 10 ish. Then we got to the hard part of the race and I fell back and back and back, until I lost contact with the field. For about 3 laps I buried myself trying to bridge back up to the field. Thankfully, they slowed down enough for me to jump on, and move back up to the front.(Where Joe was.)


When I caught up to him we had a dialogue (with real time translations) that went a little something like this Joe-" Adam, how you feeling?"(Dear God!!!! How long is this race?!?!?!?) Me-" Not good."(Please save me!!!) Joe-"Yeah."(Oh Dang.) Anyways.....(its been a while since the race obviously and my "remembery banks" are not quite adequate. So, I'm gonna skip to the end.) Druber gets off the front with a few laps to go, and gets the win. I lead Joe out for the field sprint and he gets nipped by one of the pinstriped posse. I end up in 7th.

Main lesson of the day: (learned from the collegiate race)
Don't put your hands up 100 meters before the finish line IN A SPRINT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Sorry Bennet.



Victory Crit....pretty appropriate name.... Well, it was cold, rainy, snowy, haily, and cold..... Did I mention that it was cold? It was an interesting venue. We first went out through a "tunnel" then raced for 70 mins, then finished by going back under the tunnel with 400 meters before the finish line. Joe and I didn't have too much of a plan(just like every other race) so we wung it(just like every other race). A pinstripe posse got away with Gary Painter (a very solid TT-ist from Koelinger) in the first 15 mins. I knew the move was dangerous, so I attacked into the headwind, to no prevail. I countered my attack and got off the front with 2 other strong racers(sorry, can't remember your names). We made the bridge to the front group within 2 laps, and continued to work the time gap, until we had about a min on the field. Just about then, Ben Weaver (from the pinstripe posse) flatted(made a junior move and did not have wheels in the pit). We then hammer even harder, because we thought Nuvo would be in hot pursuit. Never happened. We then gained even more time. With 10 laps to go we started cruising a little too softly and pretty soon we were back into the sight(and therefore mind) of the first chase group.


I thought then it would be a good time to test the waters and open up an attack. They brought me back in a lap but it stirred them(the breakaway) awake. We worked from then out pretty fluidly(just enough) to lose the chasers, and bid for a sprint finish. I had not ever raced with the guys in the break to know what their strengths were, so I just has to play to my own (semi) strengths. In other words I just waited for the sprint and launched it right out of the tunnel, to take the win!!!!!!!! It was such a relief to finally get a win on my belt. Man, it was cold right afterwards.

So much fun in too little time

Two weekends ago was Hillsboro Roubaix. Dave Caughlin (Nuvo) and I made the haul out for Hillsboro. The 1,2s was 4 laps of a 22 mile loop with rolling hills, a gravel section and 2 blocks of "cobbles" right before the finish. The course was a blasty blast, but the racers and weather was going to make the going tough.

We started off in a frigid 40 degree haze, but right after we got rolling the temp warmed up significantly. Coming off of a semi easy week, I was hoping to get a decent result, but other parts of my anatomy were to say otherwise. I kept a top 5-15 spot position in the field in the first lap, while Matt Brandt was off the front with several attacks. At the start of the second lap I began getting some uncomfortable stomach cramps that just wouldn't subside. And before I knew it I was off the back not being able to pedal without the consequence of losing the white in my new bibs (if you know what I mean). Thankfully Dave pulled off seeing that I had lost contact with the field. Everyone knows that misery enjoys company. But not enough company in the World could have helped me with my gastro problem. After a few miles of trying to "walk it off", I just couldn't fight it off and had to pull in to some poor secluded person's yard and http://blip.tv/file/189853 (For an extremely entertaining description of a similar event by Bob Roll click on the link). All I can say is that it was a good thing no French family was behind me. I feel your pain Bob.

The race went on for every body else though;

Cat 3/4s

1- Chris Wallace-Mesa
2- James Vandeven-Gettagrip
3- Garrick Valverde -Mesa

Cat 1/2s

1- Steve Tilford

2- Brian Jensen

3- Adam Mills

.......

12- Matt Brandt- Mesa

20- Adam Lang- Mesa

If anyone knows if there was a photographer at the race leave me a message. Thanks!

Next report due: Tenn/Marian Crit.