Longest race ever!!

So yesterday i participated in the 120 mile pro 1/2/3 road race around the quabbin. It was awesome to say the least. It was definitely one of the hardest races ive done. it wasnt all that bad which was crazy, my legs felt great and i was able to follow moves and actually move around during the race. It was fantastic. With a main group of riders up the road after the first lap, the field didnt really think there was much left to race for. So my team, wheelhouse racing, moved a couple riders to the front and tried to keep the pace up for a while. and after a while at the front, people started racing again.

I learned a lot about racing yesterday. i spent a lot of time next to jeremy powers in the pack. and he would tell me what was about to happen and when it was going to get hard, he was very close on all his predictions, and sometimes within seconds of when he told me. so it was cool racing next to him and telling me what i needed to do. I am very happy that i just finished the race, nevermind actually being able to ride hard the whole time. I even actually through down a little attack before a big climb on the back side hoping someone from bikereg would come with me, but they didnt and that was a big wast of energy so then i just sat in and waited to the racing to happen.

At the end of the race we were going over some rollers and things started getting interesting. bikereg sent a few guys, then the rapha pro dudes followed and al told me to wait for the pros, they went and so did al (team captain and coach), and i was a few seconds to late and missed the final move. i was desperate to get into it because i was feeling so good. i followed one guy and then tried to bridge but it was over at that point. (and this was about 115 miles into the race!!) so then i sat in and waited for the final climb. Then powers turned to me and said "you better hit this hill so hard, i dont want to see you again!!" so i waited for the incline and went for it. I got a pretty big gap and the BAM!!! my legs started to seize and they didnt want to move... so i sat up waited for the group. got back in. and powers said the same thing on the next part of the climb.. "put it all out there" he said. so i went again, got a descent gap again and started pumping... the hill got steeper and so did the pains in my leg as they were cramping, a group of 4 guys bridged up to me and passed me just before the line. But i left it all out there at the end and came in 24'th. in very happy with that, being the longest road race i have ever done. it was pretty awesome.

So that was an awesome part of the weekend. Im very happy with the way im riding and cant wait to race the rest of the season. Ever since i got my coach (alec donahue) i have improved so much. and this race season is looking good so far with the way im training and racing! cant wait to see whats next.

no pics right now, but here is an awesome video of Lee Peters from UVM absolutely losing it at the end of the race on saturday. he unclipped from his pedal as he crossed the line.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=79STP9QvOPk

it was a nasty end of the race, i went down in the corner coming into the sprint. so that sucked. but im fine and my bike is as well!!

later

-jd