TNP Circuit Race and the PLT Time Trial, AKA: My Legs are Fried

A 1.4 mile loop, 9 turns and one small hill.  Pretty well described the brand new course that Team Nature's Path secured and did another excellent promoting job.  They did however forget to mention the hard racing, heat and distance would make this a very challenging day.  I think the Cat 3 race started with 24 racers, we ended with 14.  That could pretty much sum up the day.

The Virginia Beach Wheelmen lined up with 3 of us.  Me, John Gray and Kevin Horvath.  We once again missed the break which formed after some very serious chasing and a few counter moves, but we were the only team that had all of our guys finish (unless of course you count teams that started with one and ended with one). 

After the break got away and we gave an effort to chase it without success, the pack (I say pack but it was only 11 riders) started to attack each other, slow down and attack again.  So with nearly 5 miles to go I got on the front and just kept a nice steady pace.  The hope was to stop the attacks and let my other two teammates sit in and try to get the next top places.  At this time there were 3 away.  With 2 to go a move was made from within our pack.  No one responded.  I picked up the pace a little at the front with hopes of simply reeling him back in.  It actually didn't happen.  He made a good move and stuck it so now we were going for 5th place.  So I still stayed on the front until the attack on the downhill on the final lap.  I got back on the back, John and Kevin jumped on the move and ended up 6th and 7th overall, me 12th.

Not a bad day, again not what we hoped for, but it was good racing.

The next day John, Zach Kyler and I raced the PLT Time Trial.  I told Zach he had to beat me since he didn't race the day before.  To show you what a time trialist I am not, I changed my position on the bike, moved the seat forward, and changed aerobar positioning the night before.  I didn't even get on it until the race.

It ended up not being a bad move.  I didn't get a great time, but I did feel pretty comfortable and realized I think I could get a good time in that position with some training.

I didn't stay for the results but according to my computer I got a 55:27.  Zach told me he got a 55:30.  I don't know if that was official time or not, so we are still waiting to see who beat who.

Good weekend, great conditions (if you like the heat), just got to love this bike racing stuff.

Juniors Update:

My juniors raced this weekend as well.  Carter went to PA and raced in his first Cat 5 race.  He must of looked tiny among all the adults.  He also did a 50 mile race on a tandem with his uncle.  They placed 7th out of 70.  It was great training for him and he never once complained or asked to stop.

Dane raced both the TNP race and the PLT TT.  He enjoyed the hill and realized his fast out of the saddle get ups allowed him to separate from his competition.  Although he hates TTs, he agreed to race the PLT and might even had a good time, but he won't admit it.

Good job!