What's Your Point....Modesto RR

Race: Modesto RR
Miles: 54
Avg. speed: 23.2
Top speed: 36
HR: Don't know forgot my Strap
Teammate: Adam Martin
Place: 4th
Field: 60+

Well this is a fine surprize! I was seriously thinking about not going today. I had been busy every weekend for the last 5 weeks and was actually looking at resting up and taking notes of
some Honey-do's that need to get Honey Done!
So I get to "Sign-in" with about an hour before my race and spent the next 30 mins waiting in line for the portapottie. Velo Bob strikes again 400+ riders and only 3 outhouses. Time to start an up-rise against "The Man"!

Back to the car I've got about 25 minutes to get geared up to go, I've got my Livestrong band and my HTFU band on but no HRM strap. All ready to go I line up off we go at a fairly civilized pace then bang after the first turn we hit it. Not too bad, but bad enough in that I had no time to warm up.
Plan was to ride my race and stay to the front which for the most part I was in the top 20 and stayed there. Adam in his usual style was attacking some had staying power but most cases no one was willing to go there. Old Teammate Paul Taylor was also showing strong at the front.

The course was pan flat, but the surface went from Nice with a few bumps to meat grinding chipseal! That stuff I did not want to go down in. Watching Adam attack again and again was pretty impressive. Every once in a while He'd comeback and check out how I was doing. Today my allergies were acting up, but not too bad first couple of laps I couldn't get my lungs to open up fully. I did get to the front a few times to do my share of work but not too much. It was more of an effort to get to the front and be safe before we hit the feed zone to stay clear of trouble. I figured as the race progressed and riders got tired there would be greater chances of crashes in the feed zone.
Lap three I somehow spent a tad longer on the front than I'd like. It wasn't too bad and I got back in the pack and out of the wind. Which btw the wind was pretty reasonable.

Final lap coming up, the bell rings and everybody hit it like there was some finish line just down the road....what was that about! We're into about the last 3 miles of the course and the speed picks up really nice. Second to last turn I make sure I'm about 10~15th and moving up. Seemed like everybody else had the same idea but weren't willing to commit to stay up once they got there. We're about 500 meters from the final lefthand and I'm right where I want to be leftside of the road. Earlier I suspected that was the spot. Then some rider comes slamming in trying to force his position in on the wheel I had. His move in was not very smooth in that I had just enough overlap with the wheel in front that when he hit me I touched wheels and had to make some quick adjustments to stay up.
Later Paul T. gave some props later on my bike handling skillz. Any who I'm still pretty cool about this and Adam is up front making a mean pull and keeping it safe for the rest of the pack. I shouted to Adam KEEP IT UP! Props to Adam for the sacrifice of keeping the speed up for a safe finish.

We hit the final turn and Adam swings left over to me still at a good clip. I shouted to him to keep it going, I figure as soon as he shows signs of slowing it would be time to make my move, which was about 2 bike lengths too late. There was a jump from the right side of the course. I moved left. I get a shout from some Dumb bunny trying to make a move from my left which was about 6" from the soft shoulder. Too bad sucka! I kept a tight line as I passed Adam to give that guy what I could and just hit the jets! I come around Adam and I'm gapping the field. But the 4 who jumped earlier are about 15~20 Meters up the road. I'm calling on all the gears I've got and Mashing for all it worth. At one point I'm like 5th and maintain the speed to keep my position, just then these guys look almost like they are sitting up.
So I find I still got my 11 left and hit that badboy and Gas it again and I'm moving up!
I get one guy with about 10 meters to go and just blast past the 1~3rd just after the finish. Damn I should have totally buried it and who knows!?!?!?!

So these are some presious points for me as they are my first in what I hope will be a series of upgrade points.

Gang, the junkie's got the taste now, I'm addicted! I think I've gotten a huge education this week in positioning and self confidence. Some fine tweeks on the art of the sprint and who knows!

Big shout out to Adam, he made that finish work!

Jim