Before I get into the riding schedule - A Hillsboro breakdown as to what went wrong:
Plain and simple - started near the rear. It was impossible to pass - especially with the non-existent yellow line rule in effect - on those tight roads - three across was the max - many times the course become single/double file. With so many sketchy turns, with gravel in the corners (hence the Roubaix element) that the accelerations became killer. If I was number 16, the distance to cover back to the group could be measured in feet - as number 72 - the distance was 25-300 yards, straight into the monster headwind. This just smoked me. Plan for next year - camp out on the line!
Tuesday - good ride with Jeff L. after work - killer headwind and a little cold. I wanted to ride hard - I felt pretty good - but I was kind of figuring on racing that night so I did not want to overdo it. We rode out Clayton and came back Conway - with an incredible tailwind! Unfortunately, I skipped the Tuesday Night Crits so Judy could go to the ball game. After sticking her with the kids all day Saturday so I could race - somehow saying, "I'm sorry, you can't go out with your friends so I can ride the bike" wouldn't fly! The coolest thing about the ride was seeing a brand new Audi R8 - one bad-ass car.
I think I might get one - do car seats fit?
The Wed. Night HUB Throwdown was great. I was able to sit in with the ride and felt good. We started out with a very large group - which was quickly whittled down. Overall average - 21.2 according to Heine!
(Bill is a ham)
Speaking of that - cool photo for the O'Fallon Grand Prix - They are using the 4's photo as their banner for the web-site - which stars front and center Hubbers Bill H and Bryan.
Cool. I will be doing this race this year - if for nothing else than the 15 min. of possible fame - I hope I'm there when they snap the picture! (Damn - Hillsboro hurts)
My only wall part on the Hub Throwdown was coming off Mason onto Conway right before the hill. I was gassed and had to ease up - which cause me to fall off the back for a bit. I was to the point of quitting when I was luckily able to jump on Yo-Yo's wheel. We were able by pull back up to the group by Ballas - picking a couple up along the way.
When the ride was finished and we were hanging around The Hub - the Monster Energy Drink - Monster Truck pulled up and about four guys/girls jumped out and gave everyone free drinks and took pictures - pretty funny. The best I've ever had was going up Adams with The Hub and the Red Bull car came alongside us and gave us pro-hand-ups of Red Bull. The Monster stuff tasted pretty good - The Red Bull tasted like shit.
Thursday - Michael, Jeff L. and I went for a ride after work in the pouring down rain. It was a cold rain, but when I got started, I felt great and I put the hammer down. This was a strong, my race-pace ride. I felt fresh the entire ride. We headed out the outer road - cut over to Conway and then Ladue on Mason - back to Conway to 141- back on the outer road to Clayton and back to work. I pulled most of the ride - which I need to do - and pushed the pace. Michael is an incredible rider - always right there - he rocks. I swear, you can never shake that guy!
Tomorrow - I might go for a very light spin - but that will be all - gotta gear up for Saturday's group ride - Me thinks it will be a wee quick! (say in Irish accent).
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