Lost the element of surprise

This week was another TVC race week. I joined TVC so can now ride with them, just in time for the last couple of races of the series...

This week the element of surprise was gone. Well at least for the TVC regulars with regards to my riding. For me, not knowing any of their courses, I still got some surprises. This week they did the hilliest course of their Tuesday race courses - the Binghamton Empire State Games loop plus a little horseshoe on Gardner Rd. It starts with a 2.5 (or is it 3?) mile climb up Pennsylvania Ave, descends a little bit and then climbs up some more before a long descent and a few more fairly substantial climbs before a fast hilltop finish. Andrew W. gave a brief run down of the turns (all right handers) before the start and I was only sort of listening...

We all headed out en masse. The first little bit is neutral - to get through a stop sign, but from the start it is climbing. I started a bit back in the group, but as racing started and Dave Y came around me, he tapped my hip. To me that meant "I'm taking off now follow if you can". He probably meant it as "I'm taking off now, see you at the finish". I slotted in on his wheel and just focused on it. Trying to keep the gap small. I was having trouble finding a comfortable gear, and was spinning more than I am used to but I managed to hang on until the top where it flattened out a bit. I shifted a bit early and had trouble getting on top of my gear and waved the rider behind me, Andrew W. around while I floundered. I was able to slot back in behind Andrew W. and hung on on that first descent to the first right hander. That pretty much set us up for the second climb. I lost contact with Dave Y. and John H. after the first pitch. When Andrew W, Chris J. and a rider who's name I didn't catch came around me shortly there after I hung on for a few meters but then fell off them too... leaving me alone and feeling "lost ... lost ... lost [in a crowd]".

Happily the next intersection option was at a T intersection and then the next one I saw cars slowing for what looked like bikes in the distance so I went that way (a slight right at a Y intersection). The turn onto 26 was also at a T. At this point I didn't remember what Andrew had said was next so I slowed a bit - giving up on catching the trio in front of me. A group of 3 (two local riders, and fellow Ithaca rider Dave H.) caught me. We rotated through until the turn onto Gardner when we lost one of the locals. Near the false summit broad left hand sweep on Gardner we saw the trio in front again and although we tried like mad, we just couldn't catch them. The three of us pushed each other - not quite working together but definitely keeping the pace honest to the finish. The other local rider lost steam on the finish hill and I tried super hard to catch Dave H. but he held me off with ease.

It was good for 7th overall (one better than last week). I am bummed I let myself drop off the trio in front of me on the second climb. If I had dug a little deeper and held on... Last week I was coming off of three hard days of racing a week after 4 hard days of racing and managed to hang. This week I came off of several days completely off the bike, but also three nights of less than 4 hours of sleep a night. Tired muscles attuned to racing vs rested muscles but tired body... I have to say the first wins out for feeling better.

Thanks again to the TVC group for welcoming me again and bearing with me on a very warm and humid evening. That was a great course and a lot of fun to ride. Legs are tired today. :-)