End of a Season at the Rocky Mount Road Race and Criterium

     Well, the racing season is winding down, actually I think it's over for me. I have been racing since February and have had my best season of what has turned into a rather long racing career. It was the best season for many reasons... namely, racing with a new team with close friends, spending some awesome quality time with Evan, racing in several different states as well as in several races I have never done before, and finally, some descent results to boot! I worked really hard this year for the results I achieved. I focused on every aspect of what the sport requires, all the way from nutrition and weight training, to the long hours spent on the bike. JD McCay and I motivated one another to excel and held one another accountable on those cold, rainy winter days when we really didn't want to ride. I have found that as I have gotten older, I can still get fit... its just a hell of a lot harder to get there so having a good friend to help provide that little extra something really helps!

     I think the highlight of the whole year had to be Evan's selection to ride for the GARMIN junior development team. Christian Williams, the Team Director, had evaluated Evan at a USAC Junior Development Camp in Austin earlier this summer and he saw some potential. It will be up to Evan what he makes of this incredible opportunity, but he will have the best resources available to help him realize upon his potential. He also had some great results this year as a 15 year old racing against grown men. He won the CAT 3 race at Tour De Hills where he was able to stay with Peter Beland, arguably one of the best climbers in Arkansas. He also got third place in the Arkansas State Criterium championship in a field chalked full of some really strong guys. While I am so proud of his results, I am most proud of how he has handled his success on the bike. I really believe cycling teaches some good life lessons, and I think Evan has benefitted from his time spent involved in the sport.

     Unfortunately, Evan was sick this weekend and opted to stay home when JD and headed down to Shreveport, Louisiana for the Rocky Mount Road Race and Criterium on August 18th and 19th. I had never been there but JD had raced it last year so we decided to roll down in the RV and giv'em a run. I decided to race the Masters race as the 1,2,3 race was 81 miles which is a little long for my current fitness level. JD and I were up and adam at 6:00 A.M. for the 8:00 A.M. start. The field was comprised of around 40 riders and we started the race on time with a "KOM" prime of $50.00 only three miles into the race! While not excited about that kind of effort so early into the race, I decided to go for the prime. About half way up the hill it was down to just two of us and I thought I would be able to get the cash at the top. WRONG!!! I could not get by the guy and he beat me to the line and took my 50 bones. My excuse is that I was not warmed up... yeah, that's it... not warmed up. The truth is that the guy was 39.14 years old (he really was under 40) and he was just faster...up that particular hill. After the KOM the race settled in and a two man break finally got off the front. They probably got about two minutes on the field when Donnie Davis went to the front and started the chase. I took over after him, then JD, and then two other riders. The five of us traded pulls at 30 MPH and the break came back just like that! It's amazing what can happen when there is cooperation among just four or five guys. After that there was a flurry of attacks but nothing could get established. When we came to the KOM hill for the third and final trip up, everyone knew the attacks would come. About half way up the climb a guy swerved hard left clipping my wheel. I barely avoided crashing by swerving hard to the left also. When I did, I felt pressure on my rear wheel and then heard a big crash behind. It was JD, and then four guys piled over the top of him. The guys on the front upon hearing the carnage put the hammer down hard hoping to blow the race apart. I made it up to the wheels as four or five guys kept the pressure on and whittled the remaining guys down to only seven or eight. The finish was only about eight miles from that point and after a few attacks, the group resigned themselves to the inevitable uphill sprint to the finish. I was really worried about the guy who had beat me for the KOM prime so I was watching him closely. He finally jumped hard at 200 meters but I was able to get his wheel and jump around much easier than I had anticipated given the butt whooping he had given me earlier. JD was actually able to remount and after getting a double wheel change from the wheel truck, and man handling a bent deraileur and front brake, he rolled in not long after our group and well ahead of others.

The Finish of the Rocky Mount Road Race

     The next morning we awoke for the 8:15 start of the criterium around a really fast, wide open course at the local community college. I am much more at home crit racing where the speeds are high and the corners are tight. This crit would be somewhat uneventful as the course simply was not selective enough to allow a break to establish. As we came around the last corner with about 300 meters to go I felt good enough to lead out the sprint with the confidence that no one would be able to come around. Certainly, I don't always have that feeling and most of the time have to play the sprint a little safer by coming off a fast wheel closer to the line. I just think the course was so open that following the wheels allowed for almost total recovery prior to the sprint, thus giving me the confidence to take it from a long way out. In any event, it felt good to get the "double" for the weekend!

     Here ends my last race report for 2012! I am glad that I took the time to do these little write-ups as they are fun for me to look back on and re-live some of the great experiences of the past year. I hope at least a few of you have enjoyed my post also. Thanks for reading!