Illinois State Road Race

Well, this didn't go as planned.

I went into the race hoping for top 10 and with my skin intact. I came out of it without a scratch but near the bottom of the results. Kudos first to Tower Racing who put on a well-run road race in an improbably-close-to-Chicago location.

In the weeks leading up to yesterday, I was surprised at how the race wasn't packed full to the gills from the moment registration opened. Out of a possible field size of 100, there were only 50 or so in the 4s. I'm not complaining about the field size, because I'd rather deal with a smaller pack than a huge mess, but it was interesting.

I have no moments of glory to speak of yesterday. No breakaway attempts, no contention for the sprint -- I was just hanging out going for an easy $38.50 group ride with some friends and lots of people I don't know.

I felt good leading up to the race -- had lots of sleep, the legs had snap, and I was feeling better than usual. Chris asked me what I was thinking strategy-wise, and all I said was "Well, we'll see what happens."

Which for me, apparently, wasn't much.

I Spent four laps stuck in the middle of the pack trying to get up front and couldn't make it happen. The pack filled the road and I couldn't get forward from either side of the group. Each three corners of the course, I tried to move up as the pack spread out, but nope, I ended up back where I was before, usually right by Adrian and Isaiah and a xXx guy. The "hill" had no effect on the peloton -- it was a sprint up the hill each time and everyone glommed back on in the nice descent off from the finish.

There was a stupid crash going up the climb in the third lap when some guy started weaving between the cones that marked off the lane, knocked one over, and another racer hit the cone and highsided onto his shoulder. Other than that, people raced really safe and the pack wasn't all that aggressive.

The last time up around the course, things were really mellow until we got to the staging area about 1/2 mile from the start of the climb. I got myself into a decent position behind the Cuttin' Crew train and started the hill trying to get through the traffic. Then, of course, the awful sound of bicycles hitting the ground I could hear up ahead. Completely boxed in, I was headed toward the Cuttin' Crew rider and his bike sprawled out on the pavement, so all I could do was stop. Yes, stop on the climb in the final sprint of the race.

I helped one of the racers off the ground and rode back uphill. I was angry for about 10 minutes and annoyed for another 20. I guess I can take consolation in the fact that some of my teammates did really well in the race and that I didn't end up on the ground, too.

Lots of friends on other teams did really well. Jeff Perkins of Cuttin' Crew, whose butt I was staring at for most of the fourth lap, won the race. Props.