The Lincoln Bella Mira Matrix

Okay, so it's been a while...a long while. I wanted to post some sort of update and some flashy pics because it's going to get pretty busy again here in a few weeks and if I don't post it now I'll totally forget everything.

Let's start with the Lincoln, AR Road Race. Okay, i haven't ever done Joe Martin, so I can't speak for that road course but I have done NWA and Hell's Kitchen. Both of those are quality events with great courses. Both courses are also very challenging in their own ways. Take both of those courses, put them together, add some more climbing and a few screaming descents and you have Lincoln. I'd go as far as to say that Lincoln is the best road course I have ever ridden. To me, Lincoln is one of those races that would be worth making it an A race on your race calendar. Not for the payout, because like the other Arkansas races the payout isn't great, but because if you win Lincoln you have accomplished something. Lincoln for me was not so hot. Trying to diet and shed some weight beginning a few weeks prior, for no real reason other than that's what we do, and chinese for dinner the evening before (wouldn't suggest it) didn't really lead to great race preparation. I was fairly confident in my ability to make it over and through the climbs going into the race. What little confidence I had was shattered on the second climb of the day. I had nothing. I would say this is the absolute weakest I've ever felt on the bike. I had no energy what so ever. I did make it over that climb with the field and recovered okay. Then the second lap begins, I make it over the first big climb okay but then a break goes up the road. With a few other large teams not represented in the break I kind of waited to see if anyone else would do anything but it didn't happen. So, for some reason I decide to go to the front and try to pull it back. I was at the front until the base of the second climb. The break got reeled in but about half way up that second climb my individual pursuit began as I watched everyone ride off in front of me. I spent the next lap reeling stragglers in and watching a group of five 500 meters in front of me hoping and praying one of them looks back to see me and eases up a bit so I can join in their rotation. It didn't happen. I did catch the previous AR state champion and we worked together to the line. Lincoln wasn't really humbling because I wasn't over confident in myself but it did leave me hungry. Hungry for my next race, hungry to dissect my current training plan, hungry to examine my diet, and hungry for that foot long Subway sandwich.

Next up was the Bella Mira Crit hosted by Exfuze Racing. Dark clouds, rain, strong wind, dirty bike, and gritty water bottles all come to mind when I think of Bella Mira. This course is around a neighborhood in it's early development stages. The property and roads are there but no houses have been built. There are two hills, one on the backside of the course and the other leading to the finish line. Andy and myself decided to go out and get dirty for this race and I'm glad we did. Exfuze put on a quality event, great course, great support and friendly faces. The turnout was actually way better than I anticipated. The rain let up just long enough for us to get our race in and then it picked back up. After about 15 minutes in Andy was able to get off the front with a rider from SoundPony and start gaining a little distance. With two other riders from SoundPony in the race I decided it'd be smart for me to try working with them and help both our riders stay off. I felt like the SoundPony guy and I worked well together taking turns to cover and also giving each other a heads up when something was coming. It all worked out nicely and Andy was able to take 2nd and I came in 4th just getting edged out of my first podium for the season. Thanks again to Exfuze for a great day.

Next up, the Matrix in Dallas, TX. The Matrix, the King of Crits. I was totally syked for this weekend of racing. This would be big time Texas racing with full fields and some of the fastest guys in the region. This would also be the first races Amie has gone with me to this season. I love it when she's able to make the bike trips with me. It's great to have her support and let her see why I enjoy this sport so much.

My boy Zachary as well as Andrew "Rivet" Chasteen also came down to do a little racing...with wives in hand I might add. It was looking like a great family weekend of racing. Matrix is fast, Matrix is also a very tight course which leads to a mainly single file race. Had we known that everyone would begin staging immediately after the race before ours it would of helped out dramatically on the first day. Zach and I were warming up under the Alliance/Velocite tent and with about 10 minutes until our start we decided to pre ride the course once and then hit the porta cans. As we made our way to the street we looked down towards the finish line to see everyone had already started staging. With a 20 minute gap between races we weren't expecting that. By the time we got there the three of us were somewhere around 71-75 place, as the field limit was set at 75. That's right, almost dead last. We went out and made the best of it and had a great time. Matrix is a great course, kind of the shape of a figure eight...kind of. We were able to make up a few places and be there for the bunch sprint at the end. Day 1 of the Matrix was over. It was great to have that race under my belt and get refresher on crit racing. I needed to hurt so I would know how to hurt for the next day. I needed the intensity and to just remember a few of the little things that really add up to saving energy in a high intensity crit. My placement wasn't everything I had hoped for but it was a great day of racing.

Day 2 of the Matrix. I'm going to keep this a little more brief as this race still kind of leaves a sour taste in my mouth. I'm not sure how it happened, what I ate, how I slept but I actually felt better on day 2 than I did on day one. It was like day one was my openers or something. Everything checked out better on day two. I was pleased with the way I raced and happy with the way we raced as a team. I felt like I raced a lot smarter on the second day. Going into day 2 I had marked one person who I felt was very smart and could post the results. I tried to keep an eye on him the whole race, if he moved back, I'd try to move back, if he moved up, I tried to move up. It worked like a charm for 59 minutes and 30 seconds and that's when my whole race came crashing down. As we were going into turn three I saw a few guys coming down the hill on my right, I knew they were going to try to cut the corner and made room for it to happen not crowding the corner but taking it wide. I guess that didn't get them the placement they wanted because the decided to also cut the corner in turn 4. When they did this, they hit the rider a couple bikes in front of me. That guy then hit the rider in front of me, who then hit me. We all went slamming to the concrete and sliding to the curb. The rest of the field behind us was either caught in the wreck or caught behind the wreck I'm sure costing them time and a better result. It wasn't the way I wanted to end my weekend or my race. I wasn't expecting to win that race but I was hoping for a shot at the sprint and not even to win the sprint but to see my marked man throw down. I was hoping for a top ten result but instead received my first DNF of the season and 59:30 hard fought minutes tasted like asphalt and blood. My Helios somehow survived it without a scratch, my bar tape only torn in a few places, my rear Salsa skewer toasted and soil and grass filled my helmet vents. My left side, from ankle to shoulder absorbed most of the impact and now two weeks later has mostly scabbed over or healed. What I guess hurt the most about this race was just not getting to finish, to be that close and then not get to cross the line. That sucked. The wreck, could it have been prevented, certainly had a few guys thought about the safety of everyone else other than their own personal result. But that's racing, it's not "if" you wreck, it's "when" you wreck. Hopefully, they are few and far between and I'm able to walk away from them each time like I did this one. Okay...so it really wasn't much shorter...sorry.

Now that this is finally written I can look at things a little more current to write about. I'm glad I got that off my chest.