from the archives..........

Since I know some of you are thinking of riding GSTS River Falls this weekend, I was looking for any information I may have that I might share and I came across this little gem from 2010... 

River Falls  3/6/2010

4 weekends of racing with the last three Saturday and Sunday…….. what was I thinking….. denial of biology, or maybe senile……….  BUT I am still here to write about it….. well it is Tuesday and I just now have the energy and can see straight to type a brief report……… but first …. since I thought I lacked sustained power and strength I rode the 178 loop down to Pickens and back clockwise coming back up Cleo Chapman…. I tried to hitch ride back up from Bob’s but no one would pick me up……. I think I set a new record  for slow……

Saturday 3/7….. River Falls Road Race…. 6 loops of a 6.5mile course…. 1 BIG climb (2 tier) then just a fast descent ……right turn rolling down then a 120 degree right into a headwind for a couple of miles until the right at the fire station setting up for the CLIMB….. 50 degrees!  Whoopee… lose the leg warmers…

Tom and I rode the course on Thursday (I don’t have enough gear)…. 6 laps 1 at race pace and then one climb like finishing it…… laid out a game plan (optimists)…. with him sitting in until the curve of the last up tick…. need to be at the front…… (delusional to say the least)……. The girls went off earlier and Giselle made the break of 6 which held and she took 4^th …..   They started us after they finished at the top of the climb so the first lap was all about positioning and the neo’s trying to show who they were (the big dogs were all sitting in…… and the pack filler … that would be me in this case….were glad they were sitting in)…….

Turn at the church….. roll along (33mph) with a couple of bumps (hills but with 40-50 riders you just left it in the big chain-ring turn at the firestation……. OK …. here it goes ….. 1/3 back in the pack…….. road turns up… already in the small chainring…. shifting down…… sitting an spinning…. shift down….. Joe (team mate passes me on the lower hill…… didn’t I tell him not to spend his quarters on the first segment?)….. climb eases a bit… I pass Joe……. his breathing is………..well gulping ……… as the grade turns up…….. shift down……. spin… spin….. top the hill .. 10 back….. all close….. false flat …… spin relax……..

Kamikaze descent… hard right …. so fast through the second curve that several riders almost lose it heading for the lake…. an attack….…. flying…….. ease up…. attack ….. flying..….. back around to fire station….. Joe is gone as are about 1/3 of the pack…. Tom still behind me…… Second climb ……. ditto…… spin, spin…..HR spiking to 170……… sit in ….. stay in contact ….. over the top…….

Kamikaze descent….. sitting about ½ back……… through the curve…. glance over  my shoulder…..only about 8 riders behind me….. not good…….. I am OK…. hit the hard right into the headwind…. an attack  …. merde…..OK third time up “you’re OK” ……just spin up……no I think I will stand ……….  attack goes at the start of the climb……….. riders are standing and jamming the pedals trying to keep contact… into the second section…. grade turns up … the front accelerates …. riders coming back….. Tom goes up the outside…..… hit the BRAKE…NOoooooo … go around ….. gap in front….. latch onto a wheel ……… he blows…..go around bigger gap as we top the climb…..3 bike lengths as we start the Kamikaze descent….. 5 then 7 then 15 then…………

Head down chasing hoping some team slows it down or everyone sits up and waits for the next attack…….. still in sight…. pass 4 riders who have bagged it…….. hoping …. hoping (for what?)….  hit the climb …. they are gone…… 2 more laps …. you never know……. chase …..stay calm……..in the drops …. go …. go…….. not a glimpse of the pack…. catch 2 more riders…….. heading into the 5^th climb…… I am done…. cooked…. burnt toast….. I hear the lead car for the 4’s coming up behind me…….  pull to the left as I cross the start finish……….. 1 more lap……….. It’s that indecisive moment to continue on for more lap following the 4’s or bag it……… actually no indecision here …… I turn into the parking lot……. I hate this race……. I mean it is the first of March…. snow is still on the ground and they are having us race up a mountain every 5.5 miles…….  You would think we were doing Paris Nice…………

Tom hung in finishing 9^th or 10^th in a strung out finish with an exceptional showing…… Joe rode all 6 laps (grit , determination) towing some of the 4’s across the finish line………..   Oh and Mel did the 35+5’s race hanging in 4 of their 5 laps……