Yesterday was the State Crit and the day got off to a rocky start. I left home a little before and was running ahead of schedule. For a short while at least. Just as I get onto 44 I realize that I did one of my occasional bonehead moves. Apparently, I felt a jersey and shorts were unnecessary for the race. So, back home I go to get the proper attire. I was then 15 minutes behind my own self-imposed schedule.
The trip went well. I get registered, change clothes and start to get the bike ready. While pumping up the rear tire there was a definite hissing. Sure enough, I have a flat. The hole in the tire was rideable but I didn't feel like risking it so I swapped out tires with the spare wheel. After making the change I lift the rear and give wheel a spin. It does not spin hardly at all. Instead the brake keeps grabbing. The brake looks centered and then realize there is more slack than usual in the brake cable. I can pull the brake tight but when I release the brake does not release. I played around with the cable a little but my lack of bike maintenance skills were quite evident. Ultimately, I put the brake back to how it was I resigned myself to not using the rear brake during the race. Who needs brakes, right?
Amazingly, I didn't unconsciously use the rear brake. If I had, maybe I would have had an excuse for sucking so much. Yesterday's race was a 6 on the Suck-O-Meter. I finished but basically I rode in the back half of the pack almost the whole time. The one time I moved to the front, some guy opened up a small gap. O'Neal jumped on his wheel. Around the second turn, they had about 50 ft on the pack. I jumped across easily enough. O'Neal then attacked from the behind the Capitol. I hung on his wheel up the hill and as the home stretch started, the pack had caught us. I eased up let someone else take up the chase. That was my whole race as I drifted back to my earlier rearward position.
I don't know the problem. Part of the problem is a lack of confidence in my fitness. I can give some short efforts but then I'm gasping. I fear giving a little too much effort and then getting shot out the back. So, I end up sitting in the pack and doing nothing. I hate that.
The trip went well. I get registered, change clothes and start to get the bike ready. While pumping up the rear tire there was a definite hissing. Sure enough, I have a flat. The hole in the tire was rideable but I didn't feel like risking it so I swapped out tires with the spare wheel. After making the change I lift the rear and give wheel a spin. It does not spin hardly at all. Instead the brake keeps grabbing. The brake looks centered and then realize there is more slack than usual in the brake cable. I can pull the brake tight but when I release the brake does not release. I played around with the cable a little but my lack of bike maintenance skills were quite evident. Ultimately, I put the brake back to how it was I resigned myself to not using the rear brake during the race. Who needs brakes, right?
Amazingly, I didn't unconsciously use the rear brake. If I had, maybe I would have had an excuse for sucking so much. Yesterday's race was a 6 on the Suck-O-Meter. I finished but basically I rode in the back half of the pack almost the whole time. The one time I moved to the front, some guy opened up a small gap. O'Neal jumped on his wheel. Around the second turn, they had about 50 ft on the pack. I jumped across easily enough. O'Neal then attacked from the behind the Capitol. I hung on his wheel up the hill and as the home stretch started, the pack had caught us. I eased up let someone else take up the chase. That was my whole race as I drifted back to my earlier rearward position.
I don't know the problem. Part of the problem is a lack of confidence in my fitness. I can give some short efforts but then I'm gasping. I fear giving a little too much effort and then getting shot out the back. So, I end up sitting in the pack and doing nothing. I hate that.
1 Comments:
Damn it man - You are the Mighty Klages. Don't let me see you ever doubting your fitness.
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