OSRS #1 - Deer Creek - BigDaveSports

The 1/2/3s and 3/4s raced together but were scored separately. A woman from Secret was off the front from the start, and her team dominated. There were several jumps in the first lap which made it tough, but also a lot of time to recover if I stayed protected. Secret managed to swallow up every jump. Somewhere along the line, two more from Secret bridged up to the break-away to help her. Then the rest of their team just wanted to keep it slow. Cooper Ambjorn (also a 3/4) was trying to get the rest of the pack to push the pace and bridge up - I was all for that. So there was some cooperation with a rotating paceline in the second lap. By then I guess I was in a group of ten or so. Three of us were cat 3/4. I jumped on the hills and found I could gap the two other 3/4 riders a little, so I figured I had a chance to beat them on the sprint. So on the 3rd lap, I stayed protected most of the time, didn't pull much. Of course no one wanted to by then because everyone was getting ready for THE BIG SPRINT. It slowed down a lot but if I tried to push the pace I'd just be out front working all by myself. The pack slowed so much that people were starting to bridge up. When the last 500 meters marker showed up, I realized I was too far back. I tried to squeeze through the tight group and managed to slip past one other 3/4 rider in the last 200, but finished just behind Cooper.

Cross winds on 3 laps around Deer Creek St. Park. Pulled and lead the majority of the first lap (all Cat.5 riders who rode and who are reading this...you're all wheel-suckers). Start of the second lap, broke away with rider from Indiana University. Worked hard, Grew a 3+ minute lead on the main field with 6 miles left in the third lap. Caught and passed the Cat. 4 and Cat. 3 fields. Didn't have the energy in the tank to keep up with the IU rider/horse. He broke away with 1 mile to go. Content with a second place finish.

Negative race. No one wanted to work. Our guys dangled the whole time to no avail. Kenda dude took off on the last lap... bridged up and stuck together but he was tired. Andy from Hungry and an IndyBike guy bridged on top of the hill. We organized, Kenda went backwards and the three of us took it home. Props to IndyBike for having the most in the tank at the end.

Struggled with some big changes in tempo. Fun day out, and a good effort from all the Echelon boys!

Team did great, things could not have be futher from planned but everyone kept their heads and got the job done. Next race will be even better. Got home temp was 100.7. NO EXECUSES!

RGF Teammates up the road and I missed my chance to catch them when I waited to long. Last 14 miles of the 60 solo TT, maybe I should get a TT bike? I should have listened to coach OB when he told me to go I should have went instead of waiting a couple of miles.

First race of the season, and first race as a CAT4. Four laps of a 12 mile course - fairly flat, but plenty windy. A few guys tried to form a break on the first lap, but most of the field was having none of that. Finally, just after we started the second lap, a break formed that looked like it was going to work. I ended up getting into the break, with about 12-13 other guys. It took the better part of a lap to get organized, but then things started clicking with everyone. Thankfully during that time "Cadillac" George ended up setting a nice comfortable pace for the main group! At the end of the second lap, we caught the CAT3 group. During the last lap, I was struggling a bit to keep with the break. Cramps started to set in, which caused me to drop off the back of the group. I managed to fight back and grab back on, but then one of the guys in the breakaway attacked again. That pretty much spelled the end for me. I managed to make it in about 500m behind the main group. Quite pleased with 8th for the day.

First race of the year + a flat, windy course = nobody wants to pull. The 3 field got lapped by the 4s before finally getting things together on the last lap and blowing up the bunch. Luke and 3 others got away at the end and Joe Hall won the field sprint. First race as a team netted 3 in the top 10...not a bad start.

This was the fastest and slowest race I've ridden. I went off the front solo from the gun and was joined 7 miles in by Shane. We stayed away for 13 miles. Did a bunch of work to help Tony. Nobody on the larger teams seemed to want to race hard. $ guys that were sitting all day got away with a few miles to got. Field sprint was a cluster. I ened up in the ditch. Everyone forgot how to ride in a straight line at the finish. I think I'll ride the 1,2,3 the next flat race.

First race, got the jitters out quick after avoiding the first crash on the way out to the course. 1st lap pace was pretty slow, nobody wanted to work into the wind on the back side of the course. Danny got out in a break the 2nd lap so we sat in and cruised. Not a lot of organization in the field to chase down the break, and by the third lap they had built up a 3min gap. Tried to get organized on the last lap but couldnt get it together. Spent too much effort chasing down a couple other people off the front and had nothing left for the final sprint.

Couldn't put it together today.

Happy to see all the new guys really enjoyed their first race!

This was awesome for my first race.. can't wait for all the CAT 5's to get out and work it (I can totally see us working the race and sealing the deal for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place for Echelon)

Lessons learned:
1. Ride with the peloton staying away from the break-away early in the race
2. Stay away from the lead with ½ mile left to the finish (I lost my legs and had nothing left for the final sprint which means interval training)

First race ever and it went pretty well. Good learning experience for the future.

Started strong and stayed with the main field for 3/4 of the race, but let a small gap open up before a turn into the wind and the only hill on the course. That small gap just kept opening up and I didn't have the legs or heart to close it up. Oh well - next time... don't get dropped!

Guess I can give myself credit for showing up, and that's about it. First road race in over 12 years. Had a great training ride..it will only get better