14/01/2015

Commute:

D: 6.7km
A: 30m

HCC Crit:
I went in expecting to hurt, so I suppose I should be happy that I had the fitness to finish the race. I didn't though, finish that is, I spent myself on the 2nd last lap to shut down AJ who was solo off the front.

Preceding that leg dumping exercise, I had a painful day. I rode attentively when DK went up the road, riding the surges and the emotions they brought alike. After one surge, I watched Cam Clamp roll up the side, I knew he was going to hit it, so followed his wheel. His hit was never really a hit though, so I was surprised to find that we were off the front of the bunch, and into the gap.

DK sat up as we caught him, and not even a hand in the back could convince him to keep going. I (rightfully) assumed he'd been doing all the work in the 2 man break, and was thus a touch pooped.

Back together again and I had to take a bit of time on the back to rest physically. To get that, I had work mentally. To get the best wheel over the top, to not loose wheels down the descent, and to take the best line/speed through the final turn. Getting any of them wrong just put me deeper into the cave.

That basically brings us back to the end of the race. When we were given 3 laps to go, I rolled myself forward and asked how many were up the road. It was just AJ, and he was in sight, so knowing that I had several mates behind me, I punched out a lap, lap and a half to bring it all back to a sprint.

Probably not the nicest thing to to do another mate, AJ, but he's a great rabbit to chase and thus ensure the quality of my final effort.

Strava link.

D: 47.2km
A: 478m

PMPW: 87kg