Day-O: Banana Belt Race 3 Report

“Why do I race?”  This is what I am contemplating as I am half way through my second lap at Banana Belt #3. 

The race started well, I rolled along with the main field for the few miles.  Then, at the main climb, I got dropped.  Once I get dropped in a road race, it is not likely that I am going to catch back on to the group. I am dropped at mile 4 of a 33-mile race.  The sun was shining, so I decide to bury myself for as long as I can to see if this time I can catch back on to the main field.

As the miles roll by I look ahead in hopes of seeing other cyclists who may have been dropped.  I catch my first dropped rider at the end of lap 1.  I encourage him to draft off my wheel.  He tells me that he is going to drop out of the race.  I push on.

Lap 2, the sun continues to shine and the legs feel good.  I have a song stuck in my head.  My mind begins to wander,  “Why am I killing myself right now?”,  If I keep going, there is a chance I won’t be DFL”,  “Am I having fun?”.  Near the end of Lap 2 I spot another dropped rider.  I lower my head and pedal harder.

This is how I envisioned the day going, but fate and fitness had other plans.

At the start of lap 3 I catch the dropped rider.  This rider is ready to work and we take turns pulling and drafting.  I am stronger on the hills; he is faster on the flats.  We eventually catch another dropped rider and form a group of three. 

The group rolls toward the finish and I begin to plan my finishing strategy.  It is an uphill finish, so I plan to sprint with 200 meters to the line.  Since I am third in the pace line at 200 meters mark, my attack comes as a surprise.  One rider is dropped immediately and the other rider hangs onto my rear wheel.  With 100 meters to the line, my legs begin to fail.  The rider on my wheel pulls ahead at the finish.  I manage to make it to the line and avoid DFL. 

Although the day did not go as planned, I felt strong and I feel my fitness is progressing.  Why do I race?  I race because it makes me faster and improves my cycling skills. I race because it is fun.