Race # 1 CRIT 2/7/09

First CRIT of 2009 was a HUGE success ..........


I DID NOT fall DOWN - I had FUN and felt very FIT ..


So it goes like this RACE = 45 min's plus 5 laps Course has start straight - maybe 100 meters then right 90 degree corner with back section consisting of gradual right trending turns till the final corner another 90 degree right back to the start/finish - 200 meters ....


On the start I just get off and start going round + round the LAP time is about 1:10 -1:20 give or take.. My class was Cat 4+5's 39+ ( about 35 riders ) - So some way younger faster guys for sure . After the first bell the FAST Dudes ramped up the pace and they did not pull away as much as string out the group to a single line. I was somewhere out there not sure where when I went over the line for the first preem but back 1/2 of the pack for sure.

I'm like OK some fast surges were all still together no breakaways COOL !!!

So I keep riding trying some laps on the inside some laps in the thick of things and some laps on the outside. I did notice a few guys that were squirrelly ( speeds erratic up + down so hard to follow wheel ) my team mate at one point said stay away from that guy + that guy which I did for the rest of the race. All going OK so far another bell and off they go again I shot over to the right on the back straight thinking I would move up - BUT now I'm out in the wind and not thinking this is smart so I cruise along and fold back in the pack. No idea where I was for the preem nor did I care...

Several laps later on the 90 after the start finish a guy sorta cut me off right on the inside Apex and I had to move a bit . My teammate saw the incident and said it was the only bad move I made in race but if I did not move/slow down he would have taken me out.

All in all it was a great race. Half way around the final lap I see my two CAT 4 team mates starting a move off the front so I shoot up the open right side + jump on John's wheel we come up on the final 90 and the lead out guy was done so John + I were out front for a brief moment........

Then the surge from both sides started I dug for all I had --stood up for a few seconds, sat back down dug deep and got 9th or 10th.

I'm very HAPPY......