No Racing in March=Racing Parkside #3 March 25th

There are many things that can cause us to come into the racing season lacking the proper amount of training. Some of these include;

1. Extremely cold temperatures that make you wonder daily if you will have an extremities left on your body come summer racing.

2. Spending too much time at work, working a job that exhausts you before you can ever work out.

3. As well as various other things as well...but I'm sure you all want to hear about the racing.

So after vowing to myself to not race the early season prep races of March so I could put on more base miles, I found myself getting a day off of work so that I could make the 3.5 hour trek to Parkside for a little competition.

I really was not expecting good weather (never at parkside), or good results considering my lack of riding. However, this week saw temperatures reaching 76 degrees and I found myself heating up very quickly. By 1/2 way thru the race I was feeling very warm & flushed but I rode on!

The race itself was a decent speed, although not superfast (it is march), but also not slow (maybe the good weather?). I found myself feeling surprisingly good as kept myself right near the front of the pack for the majority of the race watching what was going on but hiding from the wind.

In the finish the pack did split, most likely due to differences in fitness among all of the different riders. A group of 6 pulled off the front in the last 2 laps to contest the win while the pack strung out and began to splinter like crazy! The next and only main group to come across the line was only 10 riders going for spots 7-16. I crossed the line to find that I was the final rider to latch onto the back of the group for 16th place. After that group of 10 it was completely split up. I'm not really sure how many raced or finished, but I was reasonable happy with my result...I felt great until I hit the last corner & realize I had no kick at all. But since I wasn't going to race all month, and the goal was to finish with the pack I accomplished what I wanted!

So the lesson learned?

1. If you are not going to be putting on a lot of miles in the winter.....8.5 minute crazed rides on a fixed gear, trying not to be late to work and almost puking when you get there as you struggle to breath & live......well these help your fitness out

2. Even if you dont have enough base & say your not going to race for an extra month....well sometimes a little competition is good for you.

Until next time,

Sam