BB#2

On Sunday I did Banana Belt #2 to try and get in some serious basemiles. We did the first 600 meters at a real relaxed pace, keeping it zone one and all. Later, there was a spell where CMG was shutting it down when they had a break they liked. It lasted about 1.2 miles. So, that’s nearly 2 basemiles. I should be good for the year.

The other 62 miles were a blast. Attacks and bridges and counters and elbows and grit and all sorts of things that make this game so very, very sweet. I know I should be taking it easy, but, well… I feel so sorry for the parallel universe Markwelders that decided to skip these early races (I try not to even think about the poor bastards that didn’t buy that old Colnago in Santa Cruz six years ago and try cycling--they’re probably all dead by now, anyways.). Speaking of dead, I crossed wheels going like 27 (totally my fault) and still can’t believe my recovery. I won’t even go into it, but I will say that I stand by my choice of wheels. I can’t believe humans can make something strong enough to have not shattered right then.

As far as the race played out… we did 6 laps, 64 miles at 24.5 mph. We drilled the climb after the dam every time but the second. We didn’t get to have hotspots because we let three people go. There was a split up the climb this one time, and fearing a repeat of last week, I gave all over the top (but of course took a breath to whoop “Playman!” on our way past her group—it turned out to be a brilliant team tactic—she totally won), bridged a bit and I actually made the split. And then the severed peloton healed and all that pain was for naught. I guess any split I can hang with is probably going nowhere. There was a late second group of three that I had to (I was there alone) sit, watch and hope the other teams brought back. It was looking dubious, and then Tonkin pulled through. Break over. In the sprint, I tried to follow the right guys, went late, got bumped pretty hard, cramped in both quads and still got pretty near the front by the line. That felt good. When it was all said and done my finish was called “a 6th”. Eff yeah. I know it’s road racing, and if you didn’t win then you lost, but still… I was done for the day before a lot of really fast guys. I was smilin’. Heck, I still am… even though it’s 2 am, I work tomorrow and I just ate a whole thing of Soy Dream (and some candy beans) while typing this steaming pile.

Billseye pix:

This season: Alone, surrounded by green-tinted hamburglars.
FYI: How it’s done.