ABD Fall Fling Crit #1

This was my first big Crit.  There was about 30 of us.  It was a 0.8 mile course, slow lazy corners with only one that was slightly tight and it wasn't really bad.  10 laps total.

I didn't try to sprint for the premium at the 1/2 way point.  I wanted to see if I could stay up front the whole time.  About the third lap, one guy, on my left, dropped his water bottle.  We were about 2-3 riders back from the front.  I immediately yelled out bottle, and the peleton split like the red sea.  Idiot.

I continued to stay up front, almost the entire race.  Once or twice, I dropped back a bit, but I would work my way, back through the pack, and usually use the tail wind, on the home stretch, to catch back up and then, on the hard turn, I would actually peddle through it instead of coast through it and it would allow me to slingshot through it to make up some ground.

They finally ring the last lap bell.  The guy off the front (who had been there for at least two laps and also only had ONE ARM!!!), we weren't going to catch him because nobody would pull.

Coming on the second to last curve, I hit the DAMN BOTTLE!!!!  I almost bit it and I also lost about 2 mph!  CRAP.  So I dropped a gear or two, stood up out of the saddle and pushed as hard as I could.  I had lost a lot, but made up a lot too.  I finished up 18 out of 28 and if I hadn't hit that bottle, i would have gotten higher.

And I had a ton of fun.  I'm really enjoying this.

300 wu
3 x 100 - 50 kick, 50 swim
2 x 100 - negative split
400 - 150 steady, 50 fast x2

Funny that I think that this workout is a lazy swim.  Used to be a time when that would have been a LONG swim.  But it was short.  Which is fine. I'm still just trying to maintain till I start my off season training in earnest in October. 

I pushed it a little more today.  Right from the get go.  No warm up, just go.  Felt good.  Just wish there weren't so many stop lights.  :)

Went to yoga for the first time in a while.  I'll start going again in the off season.  Gotta get ready for this coming weekend.  Looks like it is going to rain both days.  At least that is what the forecast calls for right now.  Hopefully that will change.  Either way, I'm gonna have fun.

First run I've done since Pleasant Prairie on August 16.  I think that is a bit too long to go between runs.    I'll start running again in earnest after the four bike races are done.  I'll probably do the off season run focus program.

Oh, I also shaved my legs this morning.  This is a fun feeling!  :)