Rapha Focus GP

I was bouncing off the walls after Saturday's race.  At post-race
dinner the waitress made the mistake of giving me crayons...

I woke up Sunday morning and thought one thing, "ouch."  I knew Starcrossed was going to be a tough race and I knew that doing back-to-back races isn't easy but somehow I never imagined that I would be quite this sore.  I blame it on the sand.  And Belgians.


Whether good or bad, I still can't decide, Sunday's course was the exact same as Saturday's.  Normally I don't like riding the same course two days in a row but for some reason it was okay this time.  Maybe it was the overnight rain or the fact that I really liked the course but regardless, I was looking forward to another day out there.

from Starcrossed on Saturday
(photo courtesy of Matt Haughey)
My legs on the other hand, were not.  After a long, slow warmup just to get the legs opened up I think I'd finally convinced them they were ready to race.  After watching the officials argue about whether a back-of-the-pack racer's tires exceeded the maximum width measurement we finally got lined up.  Yesterday I was called up second row from the back, today I was dead last.  I'm kind of confused how people who didn't race yesterday or finished yesterday were placed ahead of me but it's the UCI and USAC so I've given up trying to understand.  

We get the 1 minute warning and you can feel the energy building.  The 30 second warning goes up and the gun could go off at any time.  About 10 seconds later Bart Wellens decides he's ready to start and rolls a few feet in front of the start line.  After jeering from crowd and a scolding from the official he backs up.  Just as he rolls back over the line the gun goes off, catching Wellens totally unprepared.  Hey, at least the official has a sense of humor.
I wind up dead last through the first corner.  This time I really did try and find the gaps and move up during the initial gallop towards the first corner but it wasn't to be.  A few guys hit the deck two rows ahead of me and I get around them but not before a gap has opened.  I close it down but could feel that effort linger in my legs.  I make it through the first lap hanging near the end of the group I need to be with.  As we enter the first sand pit on the second lap I bobble the tight corner and am forced to dismount.  This wouldn't have been a big deal on Saturday because running was just as fast a riding but today a solid line had been established on the right hand side.  If you miss that you lose easily 5 seconds.  There goes the group.  I chase but just don't have the spark I had yesterday.

through the sandpit at Starcrossed
(photo courtesy of Matt Haughey)

Then it starts to rain.  I have to admit, there's nothing quite like relearning a course in the middle of a race.  Tree roots you'd been able to roll over before are suddenly seemingly oil-slicked, corners are greasy and the sand sucks even more energy, like running through wet cement.  My glasses begin to fog and I get distracted. I know I need to ditch them but I can't take the time from chasing to stick them in a pocket.  I begin to look for people I know but they're in the beer garden at the time.  A lap later I get pulled.  Yesterday I made it 50 minutes, today I only made it 35. No idea on official result yet but I finished another group down so I was definitely near the very back.  Whatever, I came for the experience of Starcrossed and I got it.  I found another gear this weekend and while I won't be even near the front of any of these races for a while it was awesome just to be able to line up next to some of the top racers in the world, even if I only for a minute.

For comparison purposes here's the data from Saturday and Sunday.  Looks like Sunday was actually faster but it sure didn't feel that way.