The race. Wow! I was told it was rolling with one decent climb. I would consider three climbs to be of note on a single speed, and there were hardly any flat stretches. Was I really racing in central Michigan?
At the end of the day I had a third place finish in the 35 mile single speed class. This was the largest single speed race I have done to date with 46 racers. Overall in the 35 mile race I placed 18th out of 513. Very happy with that.
Cold. Cold. Cold. 18 degree start temps.
The race was supposed to have a several mile neutral rollout. Wrong. As soon as we were out of the start/finish chute, the hammer was dropped. I found myself near the front. Not where I wanted to be. I was planning on sitting in today. Oh, well. We quickly caught the back of the second wave (started in the third wave) and things got interesting. Fast riders mixed with slow, experienced with weavers.
About 4.5 miles int the race the course turns left onto a road of sorts. The promoters refer to this section as "double track" not a road. We got mixed up with a group of slower riders right at the turn and I got blocked causing me to slow to a near stop. The course pitches up into a fairly steep, very loose, rocky, limb. Not the ideal climb to be starting up from a near stop on a tall geared single speed with non knobby tires. I lost contact with four other single speed riders, who with me made the top five.
I rode stupid for a while trying to bridge the gap to the group that had the other single speeders. Eventually the group behind me caught up and I sat in with them. Working with them my brain went into "roadie mode". At least as much as it can. On the few flats and the long gradual downs I sat in and drafted. The climbs were mine, pulling the group up. The pace was good and we fluctuated between eight to fifteen riders as we dropped and caught people. By mile eighteen I had overtaken two of the four single speed riders. Third. They told me the other two were with a good sized group moving well.
Around mile twenty is a steep kicker. I attacked. When I crested a quick look revealed of the twelve we started with, only three remained. We worked together and gathered a group of sixteen. Mile twenty-eight brought pavement. The last haul to the finish. Mile twenty-nine brought another decent climb. Just shy of a mile this time. Again I attacked. Those that ride with me know how it went. As others were down shifting to spin, I stood up and cranked my one gear. Sixteen to five. That five pushed hard to the finish. We sprinted to the line. I was half a wheel behind the first of our group. One more gear and I would have had him. Our finish times are listed the same. Great way to finish.
Next year I know what to expect.
First race on the Fly racing for Trek, first podium finish for the year. Great way to start. My confidence and moral are sky high.
