As the crank turns… tales of life on the rims

Glencoe

Supporting a community that brought a race like this year's version of the Glencoe Grand Prix should be at the top of every Chicago cyclist's list.  When Downer's dropped the Nat Crit this year they basically put the nail in the coffin for the midwest.  Luckily the Glencoe organizers snagged the nat crit quickly - expanding a "good" course into one that was not only leaps and bounds better than the Downer's course, but also one that instantly became the favorite of the flat land natives I call "my people".

This year has been a busy one.  The wheel queue is unreal.  Unfortunately - still at the level where I need to go to work at my "real job" m-f.  That or stop eating - which could improve my race results so.....maybe....  I digress- I was trying to say that's the reason I haven't been posting a ton of race reports.  Then again - excuses...I hate them. So....make your judgments and move on.

Glencoe....

Heading into the race I have been experiencing a low like no other.  In general I am horrible in the summer.  The heat that is.  It naturally makes me want to stay indoors.  Coupled with a good few weeks of heavy wheel work and my "fitness" level - at least according to WKO+ - is back to where I was int he spring.  Sucks but meh.  I was starting to out climb some goats too before I imploded.  I peaked around the end of Superweek and then...

Since then it's been the story of the pulls.  I have been yanked in so many races it's sad.  At this point I have to recognize Dave Fowke's fine ability to pull someone in possibly the nicest way you can.  So nice I usually have to tell the rest of the group that they got pulled.  I don't mind though.  I'd rather spend 100 yards convincing another piece of cat 4 pack fodder that they just got pulled instead of having 4 hours of people coming by saying - "yeah - I saw you get pulled."

As you can tell - this is where this report is leading.  I expected nothing from myself.  I raced Glencoe because I wanted to support the community and I just can't miss an event like this.  Showed up in time to see the Chuck Norris of Chicago Cycling  (Wayne Simon) win not only his race but the sprint prime where - if I am not mistaken - he won a tub of his own Enzo's Buttonhole Chamois cream.  That's how you do it folks.

I tried a meager warmup as I sweat my ....uh..buttonhole off.  Jumped on the course with the rest of the 4's to take a lap before our race.  WTF - is that a "hill"??!!  It wasn't the hill as much as the false flat after the hill that lead all the way until the final turn.  I knew I was in trouble but figured I would put some hot laps in and pack it in for the day.

By the time we rolled around to the start some sleepers had snuck into the front on the line - result....we were in the dead back of a 100+ field.  You HAD to know that this was going to get strung out from the gun and we'd probably get slapped in the butt by the leaders before we ever got dropped off of the pack.

This was one of those races where you could hear the whistle, wait....wait.....wait some more....and then clip in as you saw the leaders take the first turn.  Good people in the pack. Lots of familiar faces.  Someone convinced someone that the race was won on the first lap so we had a cyclocross start - sprint at the start.  The Chicago cat 4 scene is like a club that everyone talks about going to but never does because they think it's too dangerous.  These are my people though.  As much as I love these guys though sometimes you just want to smack them.  For the love of God please learn how to take a f'n corner.  It's funny how I am always on my brakes when in the pack, but wide open when I finally fall off.

I think I made it 1 lap before I was looking for the back.  My mind wasn't in it so I was just looking to have fun - and not look like a total jackass in front of my wife.  I fell off.  Mixed with a few groups, but actually got better - again - after warming up and getting rolling.  I threw in the towel so many times I felt like a housekeeper in Vegas during the Adult industry convention.

Just about the time when I felt like Dave was about to step in and provide some relief I heard a familiar voice come up from behind - "CURTIS!  F'n LATCH ON!  I have a line of guys.  Jump on the back!"  I turn right to see Bryan Fuller slide by.....with no one in tow.  He's flailing and yelling, "COME ON CURTIS!  DON'T PUSS OUT!!!!" while I'm still waiting for the line of guys to come by....well....he dropped them.

Luckily I jumped in on his wheel once I realized what was going on.   It ended up being Bryan, myself and a xXx yet to be named.  We traded pulls and generally looked like working men through the dregs of the race.  At one point we were cruising throught he few corners after tha hill and all 3 of us at the same time noticed a particular local celebrity sitting at the apex of the turn and taking pictures - Luke S.  At the same time all 3 of us said, "hey Luke."  If you've ever ridden hard you'd know that the fact that all of us said anything at all means we were doing it wrong.

We didn't give a crap though.

As we came around I spied Dave Fowkes hanging on the line....oh noes.....he didn't do his trademark star at the crowd or officials table....he looked down.  That's our sign.  Sure enough he looked up and gave us the sign.  Dave - I don't care how many horrible things I have no doubt said about you in the past - you have my respect.  Thanks for throwing some love to the perpetual cat 4 OTB fodder.  We show up every week, pay our fees, and are given that little slice of respect from you every week - thx!

After getting pulled it was all about the team love and the community support.  I dropped a ton with the Rotary/312 setup.  I got to watch David Jaggi destroy the 3's.  Yelling splits while eating a brat and drinking a 312....yes please.

Little P took 3rd or 4th in the 4-5 group - finally turning the pedals in anger and making dad shed a tear while running behind him in carbon soled shoes.  Mrs. P was, once again, teh awesome.  Glue, family, all that stuff, etc.

Great race.  Great course.  Great people.  I could have spent the whole weekend hangin out at home drinking beer and mowing my lawn.....thank God we had Glencoe.  See you all this weekend.