Anyhoo...
October 1 was the DuPage Tech Park Circuit Race. A 1.8 mile, rolling circuit that us Cat 4s were set to do 14 laps of. This race didn't go so well for me in 2009, as the combination of hills, brutal wind, and burning lungs were my downfall. However, my fitness this year was vastly improved over 2009, and while there was some wind it was certainly manageable. It was also a big mental boost to have my wife and son there to cheer me on (even though at just over 6 months, Ethan wasn't doing too much cheering. He was sitting up by himself, though).
The Cat 4s lined up in front of the 40+4/5 field, which was to roll out a minute or so behind us. The whistle blew and away we went. It was pretty fast right from the start, but I was feeling really good. As we came around to the start/finish, an official was standing in the road, waving us to a stop. Turns out they had started the two fields too close together, and we had to roll to the line and re-start. Oh well, that was a nice warm-up lap.
We took off again at a good clip, and the pace stayed pretty elevated throughout. I was mixing it up in the field, staying out of the wind, and feeling pretty decent...until about 10 laps in. A serious attack was made, and when we accelerated to reel it in, all of a sudden I had nothing left in the tank. I was chewed up and spit out the back, where I rode the remainder of the race alone. I never lost sight of the field, but I couldn't catch up to them, either. Still, it was a better showing than 2009 and I was able to head off for the day with my dignity intact.
October 2 was the grand finale, the Wood Dale Circuit Race, a 2 mile loop through a business park that featured plenty of twists and turns and elevation changes. The points race was razor-thin between Bicycle Heaven and Tower Racing going into this last day, so we knew we had to put in some strong performances to try to take home that $2,000.00 check.
The Cat 4s lined up for 45 minutes plus two laps, and away we went. In the field with me were Scott Bowden, Jim Spanish, and Stephen Pedone. Scott was the man that we were hoping to get on the podium at the end.
I don't remember much about this race, but it was fast. Lots of attacks. At one point, three riders got away up the road and I heard Scott say "you gotta get me up there." I put my head down and started drilling it...and in a few short moments we had bridged up.
I was feeling good for most of the race, but my legs didn't have much for the sprint and I had to content myself with 11th. Scott took 3rd, however, and Jim and Stephen were right behind me in 13th and 14th place.
All in all, the team had an incredibly strong showing that day. Lots of wins and podium finishes. Unfortunately, it just wasn't quite enough to take home the grand prize. By a margin of just a few points, Tower Racing walked away with the $2,000.00. Kudos to them, and mega-thanks to ABD for putting on a great series of races. The friendly competition and team camaraderie that it fostered were pretty incredible to be a part of. And thus endeth the 2011 racing season.
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