Galena Criterium 2013
Oh my!!!!! I planed to ride 140 miles all week and i only got in 60 miles monday and tuesday combined! Lost all motivation to ride the bike!! ive been struggling with this issue most of the year. I was hoping i was going to get a easy shift on saturday to rest up before the race to feel rejuvenated. But that went down hill when i set my alarm for 5am, and.....woke up at midnight thought it was time to get up, started to pour my cereal and i checked my phone and whoa hold up it wasn't even close to time to get up! thats how nervous and anxious i get before new races. Went back to bed, and all too soon that dreadful noise..beep,beep,beep,beep!! i really need to change my alarm noise to something more upbeat or peaceful! pulled the bibs on, put sweatpants on over them, undershirt, loaded the bike, checked to make sure i had the bike computer and water bottles, wallet check, keys check. time to go! left albany around 5:!5ish am. talked to my wife's uncle and aunt on the way out of town, got about 5 miles away and discovered no jersey! Oh boy, NOT how i wanted today to go! turned around and hauled back to grab the jersey. got to fulton, Il around 5:34ish i think, Picked up my traveling buddy Jerry Rentz. ( this kid is a great road trip buddy) and off we went. got to Galena around 6:30ish. found the race venue. checked in and walked the course. This is where it started turn into the day from hell!! i received a couple statements about my seat nose being way down. Ive never noticed it. So i ran back to the car and adjusted it so it was more flat. felt way better i was slightly amazed! Started to ride the course, talked to a couple guys fro advice was told i should be ready to get beat up on by a bunch of 40 year olds!! and that started towards the back was the best option!. All to soon we were lined up like a bunch of sardines in a can. Hence the picture!!
Boom the gun went off and off we went on the first bike race of the year for me!! The pace was a fast 26mph into the first corner. Then it was like someone lit a rocket off out of the first corner the pace jumped to 30 mph, 29 mph where i was at the back. This was beginning to look like it was going to be a sufferfest of trying to stay on the back wheel of the rider in front. Round and round we went 5 laps in and yep i was in deep trouble not enough water intake, dry mouth and legs felt dead! then the nausea set in. i lost track the next couple of laps i was just trying to hang on the back of the bunch! the nausea got to be so bad i could continue to suck it up it was either get lapped on the next lap and puke ( knowing my luck in front of the grandstand!) or pull out and make a stab at a different criterium . I decided to take my self out of the sufferfest and try to spend a lot more time in the saddle and more intervals and practice crits. It was very disappointing to withdraw from the race, but now i have a good idea and some experience to bring into the next race in July!. Overall i was happy with how long i was able to stay in the race yes i would have liked to finish. but im still happy i didn't bite the concrete ! Thanks for reading!!
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