RAIN…with rain.
Well...it's done. Not my best year by far. It started raining on us before we even started and continued for 20-30-ish miles. Lots of mahem in the front group. Tires were going like fireworks on the 4th of July.
In between the unexplained slow downs and general squirrells out there I ended up t-boning a dropped bottle. Popped it open and covered myself in the brownish contents....most likely Hammer's Perpetuem. Nice.
I was hauling butt then I flatted about 17 miles in. Then I hauled butt again to almost the first stop. The sun came out and everything turned into that oh too familiar Indiana mid-July pressure cooker. Easy to do when everything is covered in water from the rain.
On the South side of Indy dehydration set in. That coupled with poor nutrition made me start to question what I was doing. I was thinking: "I have already done this thing 3 times. I will not be setting a record of any kind this year. What do I have to prove to anyone? " I called for SAG to meet me where we re-join 40 on the East side of Indy.
I figured I would see how things went while filling bottles and cooling off in the car. Well....I popped some gels, refilled and hit the road. With a gel every 30 minutes towards the end I ended up finishing strong.
Actual saddle/ride time was decent, but the extra needed stopping put a cramp in my overall time. Took 11:05. Ride time of 8:44. 160.7 miles at 18.4 mph. Boo...
Highlights of the day were people recognizing me from the jersey. 2 people came up and said something adding the "hey psimet" in there. I have fans 
.
I skipped the TT on Sunday because we got back to Chicago so late (1:00am by the time I got home). Too bad too because the Zipps I borrowed looked absolutely delicious.
Pics to follow. Now I just have 2 races tomorrow morning. 
- need to work on my setup. With lost weight this season and the attempt at using non-worn out pedals I realized that my saddle is still too low and I really need to work on position. Staying away from the ultra long events will help me change positions more effectively.
EDIT: Finished 447/911 Boo. That puts me at 49% of finishing field. Not my best, but actually second best. Past history:
2005: 74.9% of field
2006: 69.5% of field
2007: 32.9% of field
2008: 49.1% of field
RAIN…
It is upon us again. One day, One way, 160 miles. Ride Across INdiana. We roll out tomorrow.
So far it appears like we might be getting wet as we roll across the state. Boo. But at least we might have a tailwind. Something tells me that this one will be epic. That cycling "spider sense" is tingling.
Epic not in a good way, but in like a "hey I'm going to have a 4 hour story to tell about this one" way.
Superweek Registration
nothing like registering for Superweek before they even have their rider bible published. I signed up for 4 events next week. The Bensenville races on the 15th and 16th. Both days I am attempting Cat 4/5 and Masters 4/5.
4 races in 2 days and I will be 1/2 way to my "modern" cat up....not that I actually want to cat up, but having that 5 on there right next to the "member since 01/01/1993" is kind of pathetic.
If all goes well I might take another day or so and try to get in on another day or two of racing during superweek. With this and 2 races on Elgin's race day I could cat up quickly.
I always needed something to hold as a goal after RAIN during my seasons....this looks like it will be it.
Vacation is over
So I am back at work. Moustache is gone. It was starting to come in nicely, but the wife didn't see anything other than White Trash-ness to it. No humor ...
Trying to piece together some upcoming plans:
- Tonight - Possible wrenching in the shop - Voldemort
- Tuesday - Group Ride
- Wednesday - Possible wrenching in the shop - Voldemort
- Thursday - Possible Commute
- Friday - Possible 1/2 commute then leave for RAIN
- Saturday - Ride RAIN and return to Chicago - and convert bike over to TT setup *pain*
- Sunday - Possible Hampshire TT
- Next Tues - Bensenville Races for Superweek
- Next Wednesday - Bensenville Races for Superweek
- Week off - wife working on the weekend so no rides
- Another TT the following weekend - OR - my boss's son's wedding (also my wife's cousin...long story)
- Melon Metric/Chicago Criterium/Oswego Century the next day(?)
- Elgin Crit the next saturday.
Feeling a little overwhelmed....and excited. I wish there was more time for an escape to Wisconsin mixed in there. Might have to take a 1/2 day and head up there sometime. Part of the wellness program....
Almost out
I am almost out of the South. Time to rant again. People in the South drive slow, work slow, and seemingly think slowly as well. We made it to Somewhere, KY.
Part of me wishes I was back in Chicago and racing this weekend or at least riding in Wisconsin. With all of the riding I was able to pile on during vacation I think I was able to keep a lot of the normal vacation weight gain at bay. I haven't been on a scale, but I am feeling just as good as when I left. I think the 210-ish miles helped.
Superweek is coming up. I was hoping to put in for the Bensenville race(s). Only working 4 1/2 days this week because of RAIN next weekend. I realized today that I will have spent 3 weekends in a row crossing Indiana. Twice along the North-South route, and twice East-West.
Before I know it the Elgin crit will be here. I also wanted to get my TT setup rolling right and do more of the Chicago TT series. Summer is going by real fast. So fast I forgot that the tour was/is starting.
I can go on about the tour forever, but I am feeling like I don't care about this year's. I'll leave it at that.