Today’s race in Kenosha was a disappointment. I felt really good, even during what I thought was going to be an abbreviated warm-up. But no, in true Superweek fashion, it turned out to be an elongated one, turning slow laps around the course as the crew finished setting up. Thirty minutes behind schedule, they were ready to start, and I snagged a primo spot on the outside of the second row and when the whistle blew, easily slipped into 7th or 8th wheel and cruised. The pace was pretty high and there were the obligatory early crashes from guys who couldn’t take the turns at speed.
After the initial burst, the race settled down for the next 40 .6 mile laps, and if anything became a bit boring. There were a few attempts at a break, but nothing stuck, which is not surprising since the course really didn’t present enough challenges to break up the pack. I tried to stay invisible, out of the wind, near the front, and ahead of the several crashes.
Plan A was to be in the top 10 and jump with .5 lap to go. I doubt plan A would have won me the race, but it would have gotten me in the money at least. Plan B was to find the wheel of a big, sprinter type and follow. Plan B would have been the best bet since the wheel I was eyeing belonged to the guy who finished third. In the end, I went with Plan F, as in failure and didn’t fight hard enough on the last two laps to maintain my position. Shuffled halfway down the pack by the final turn, I wound up finishing a lowly 36th/60.
Perhaps Plan F could also stand for frustration as here was a day on which I felt really good, but I couldn’t manage to finish in the money, let alone in the upgrade points. Physically, it wasn’t even a really hard day. The speed was 25.4 mph and my NP was 224, so I was well below threshold for the 30 miles. Apparently the body was able, but the mind not willing…
Technorati Tags racing
