It's damn hot. Tarzan couldn't take hot like this.
If you remember the movie Biloxi Blues, you know this quote. If you know the movie and you raced this weekend, you are probably laughing your ass off right now.
Michael Murad Memorial Road Race; Poolesville, MD
I had no expectations going into Murad. It's a road race. I don't like road races. It's 48 miles and the longest ride I have this season under my belt is 50. Throw in 90 degree heat with 70 percent humidity and you have the perfect recipe for destruction. Only saw a few of the crit guys.
I figured I would give it a go. After all, I am obsessed with bike racing and I never turn away the chance to pin a number on.
The race started with the group waiting in the sun for the whistle to blow. What was only about 4 minutes felt like an hour. We were baking like roasting pigs. The whistle blew, and we were off. The pace was high and the roads were a bit bumpy. I felt good for the first lap, but slowly started going into the red on the second lap. The group surged at one point, and like a Tyson punch, I was out. Instead of suffering another lap with other dropped riders, I packed it up and went home. I figured I didn't want to burn any matches for the Bunny Hop Crit the next day.
It wasn't until the next day that I heard about the horse that came out on the course. Weird...
Bunny Hop Criterium; Suitland, MD
I was very excited about this race. It's the type of course that suits my ability at this point in my fitness level. I have really been struggling to make the adjustment to being a Cat 4. The leap and learning curve has been much steeper than expected. Some races, I do well (Chantilly, Vint Hill) some races I do terrible (Murad,Tysons).
The Bunny Hop crit had a weird feel to it. Again the heat was a killer. On the way to the race, I didn't see any cars with bikes. Usually, while traveling to a local race, you can spot a few other racers on the way. Granted I was driving through, SE DC, so the likelyhood of me seeing cyclists was low, but it still was strange.
My girlfriend Kate and I arrived together and I started my routine. Pin the number, warm up, drink some water, bathroom ect... It was nice having my teammate Reb there racing with me. I was sporting my new Oakley Jawbones with the Gold Fire Iridium lenses. So gangsta....
We went out for a couple of laps for a warm up, and the course was very bumpy. Loose gravel in the turns and holes everywhere. Not a course I felt good racing my nice carbon wheels on.
The race started fast as usual, but I felt good in the group. I knew we were cooking pretty hard the first few laps, but we slowed into most of the corners. I began thinking of my strategy for the race. I figured I would hide out and really start to move up with 4 to go. I was feeling good. So where did it all go wrong?
About half way though the race, I knew I was in trouble. The road was so bumpy, and we were so tight, and the lines were so unpredictable I couldn't reach for my bottle with any confidence. Every lap guys were bunny hopping holes. Like an Indy car driver, I knew I was doomed to run out of fuel. When those Indy cars run out of gas they come to an abrupt stop. It was the same for me. 5 to go and my body quit on me. I ended up on the side of the road laying on the ground in pain. I know this sport is about suffering, but this was bad.
I had a couple of moments when I thought to myself, I never want to do this again. It's embarrassing getting blown out the back of races. Especially when most people know you from a T.V. show. Why am I killing myself for 30th place? Then I woke up this morning, jumped on bikereg.com, Gamjams.net and all of my favorite race sites looking for the next adventure.
I love bike racing.....
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