And so it begins....
And so it begins...
The 2011 road racing season began yesterday with a whimper. Four members of our modest little team came out to contest Missouri's traditional season kickoff, Froze Toes.
The race name was more of an oxymoron this year, as the temperatures were expected to be in the 50's. It seemed Wet Toes was going to be a more appropriate name. Half the drive out I-70 was marked by a light misting rain. But, shortly before leaving the interstate, the rain stopped. But, would it stay that way?
I guess I arrived a little later than normal. There was no parking behind in the small lot behind the school and had to park a quarter mile away.
Registration was a breeze. There were NO lines at all. I stepped up, paid, went to another table and got my number. Smooth as silk. Maybe it was a case of good timing but I give them kudos for a pleasant registration experience.
Neither Aaron, Patrice, Seth or I seemed eager to get kitted up. Heck, Patrice didn't even want to register for the race but he finally took the plunge. Eventually I went back to the car, and made final clothing decisions. It was one of those days that you could easily overdress or underdress. Especially with the precipitation looming as a variable.
I dont think I ever had less of a warmup for this race. I rode about a mile total. Half with the tailwind. Half with a headwind.
Thankfully, no one seemed eager to go hard from the start as I led the group of the parking lot and set the early moderate pace. The roads were still damp and kicking up a little spray and the skies were low and gray. So low, in fact, that the roads eerily snaked in and out of small fog banks that had settled upon the rolling, barren farm fields. There was a certain Euro, early Spring Classics feel to it.
I sat at or near the front and comfortably marked some of the early forays by riders that I deemed dangerous. Shortly after turning onto Hwy O, I sat second wheel. Dennis Koscielski launched a little attack. I waited a moment to see what responses would take place. There were none, so I decided to shut it down. I rose out of the saddle and my rear wheel felt like it was slopping around. I took a few more pedal strokes and began to feel the rough pavement begin to vibrate through the wheel as it rode on just rubber and a disinct lack of air. I threw up my hand and watched as the field streamed by.
The start of the season began with a pssssssssstttttt. There are days when you pray for a flat tire. This was not one of those days. I was comfortable and felt good. Too good to stop after only 10 miles.
The new team rode solid and with some nice teamwork. Patrice stuck with the main group and finished 8th. Seth got seperated from the pack but was an asset early on and Aaron suffered a slowly leaking tire, but was able to nurse it to the finish after a stop to pump it up.
The next real race is a month away at Forest Park. Time to start working the intervals a bit more and prepare for Crit racing. In the meantime, Tuesday Worlds start in mid-March. The racing starts to be a regular thing from then on.
The 2011 road racing season began yesterday with a whimper. Four members of our modest little team came out to contest Missouri's traditional season kickoff, Froze Toes.
The race name was more of an oxymoron this year, as the temperatures were expected to be in the 50's. It seemed Wet Toes was going to be a more appropriate name. Half the drive out I-70 was marked by a light misting rain. But, shortly before leaving the interstate, the rain stopped. But, would it stay that way?
I guess I arrived a little later than normal. There was no parking behind in the small lot behind the school and had to park a quarter mile away.
Registration was a breeze. There were NO lines at all. I stepped up, paid, went to another table and got my number. Smooth as silk. Maybe it was a case of good timing but I give them kudos for a pleasant registration experience.
Neither Aaron, Patrice, Seth or I seemed eager to get kitted up. Heck, Patrice didn't even want to register for the race but he finally took the plunge. Eventually I went back to the car, and made final clothing decisions. It was one of those days that you could easily overdress or underdress. Especially with the precipitation looming as a variable.
I dont think I ever had less of a warmup for this race. I rode about a mile total. Half with the tailwind. Half with a headwind.
Thankfully, no one seemed eager to go hard from the start as I led the group of the parking lot and set the early moderate pace. The roads were still damp and kicking up a little spray and the skies were low and gray. So low, in fact, that the roads eerily snaked in and out of small fog banks that had settled upon the rolling, barren farm fields. There was a certain Euro, early Spring Classics feel to it.
I sat at or near the front and comfortably marked some of the early forays by riders that I deemed dangerous. Shortly after turning onto Hwy O, I sat second wheel. Dennis Koscielski launched a little attack. I waited a moment to see what responses would take place. There were none, so I decided to shut it down. I rose out of the saddle and my rear wheel felt like it was slopping around. I took a few more pedal strokes and began to feel the rough pavement begin to vibrate through the wheel as it rode on just rubber and a disinct lack of air. I threw up my hand and watched as the field streamed by.
The start of the season began with a pssssssssstttttt. There are days when you pray for a flat tire. This was not one of those days. I was comfortable and felt good. Too good to stop after only 10 miles.
The new team rode solid and with some nice teamwork. Patrice stuck with the main group and finished 8th. Seth got seperated from the pack but was an asset early on and Aaron suffered a slowly leaking tire, but was able to nurse it to the finish after a stop to pump it up.
The next real race is a month away at Forest Park. Time to start working the intervals a bit more and prepare for Crit racing. In the meantime, Tuesday Worlds start in mid-March. The racing starts to be a regular thing from then on.
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