So the first ACCC race weekend is in the books; but not a good week for me leading up to it. Monday I started to get a bad sinus headache about halfway through the day that never went away. Tuesday I woke up even sicker with my head completely stopped up. I decided to push through it though and did intervals Tuesday evening…mistake. Wednesday I woke up with a fever and had to miss school. Took it easy and was feeling somewhat better Thursday so I did a 45 minute spin to keep my legs loose and then did the same thing again Friday. On top of that I got an email Tuesday asking if I would officiate both days after my race was over and I agreed. So that meant not only would I be racing in the coldest weather we’ve seen here in NC all year, I would be hanging out in it all day.
Nevertheless, as I went to bed Friday night I was feeling significantly better and was really excited for the race the next morning. The race course for Saturday was two laps around a relatively flat 11.5 mile course. The only hill on the course was leading up to the start finish line so it was going to be an uphill sprint to the line.
I got to the course early and got in a good warm up before my race start at 9:10 am. It seems no matter how early I get to the staging area I always end up in the back of the field. I don’t mind most of the time, but today with the only hill coming right at the beginning I forsaw the field splitting right off the start. As I got to the start though 15 minutes early sure enough I was at the back of about a 45 man field. There were a lot of teams there but NCSU, UNCW, and Duke made up a large part of the peloton.
As we rolled out onto the mile “neutral” start the field was completely strung out with the guys at the front pushing the pace over 25mph. By the time we truned onto the race course and started up the hill I was probably 300 yards behind the leaders and knew I had to move up. 
So as we started up the climb I started to move up fast and by the time we hit the top I was up into the top 15 or so riders where I needed to be. The pace was very civilized for the first part of the race and at one point I inadvertently rolled up the side and ended up at the front of peleton. Soon though we started the routine that would carry through the rest of the race, smash the pedals then slow down…16-17 mph then 26-30 mph. I sat in the front ¼ of the field relatively comfortably though until the first crash of the day right in front of me. Luckily I was able to hit the dirt and avoid it but I got gapped off and had to burn a match chasing back onto the field. Right about the time I got back in the field another rider went down and I was once again forced to chase back into the field.
Things were pretty civil for the rest of the first lap and I had the time to chat with some of the other riders I had rode with last year and some new riders. By the time we came through the start finish and topped the hill on the second lap the field had been widdled down to only 16 of us that had the legs to hang onto the surging pace and the luck to miss the crashes. I sat in the field and did my best to save some reserves for the sprint finish. Early on I had considered tring to get a break going, but soon I realized I didn’t have the legs and my only chance was to sit in.
(sitting toward the back in the white helmet)
With about 5 miles to go I found myself in the last five folks in the 16 man lead group and I knew I needed to move up. I started looking for my chance to move up through the field and not have to waste energy flying up the side in the wind. When we hit a little incline before the finsh I took advantageof the rest of the field trying to take it easy before the line to move up into the top ten . As I we approached the finish I was in good position in the field but was trapped on the edge o f the road. Then as we hit the 200m mark and the hill started to get steep the field spread out across the road and I saw my opening. I stood up and started to smash the pedals...then I heard it. I looked directly beside me and saw a rider sliding then another went down and my only choice was to hit the dirt at 30+ mph. I tried to keep sprinting in the grass but soon I just sat down and ended up spinning across the line for 14th.
Overall I was pretty happy with my race especially considering the week I had leading up to it. I felt strong and had no trouble matching moves of the fast guys unlike past years. I think I could have got a top ten (my goal) had it not been for the crash in the sprint but who knows. Best part is I feel like I can be part of that front group this year that is actually vying for the podium rather than doing my best just to hang on like last year.
As soon as the race was over I ran got changed and spent the rest of the day officiating. Not a lot to say other than I really enjoyed being able to help out and watch bike racing all day. Only problem is I had to stand for about 6 hours after my race which isn’t so great for recovering for another race the next day.
(officiating)
Sunday morning I woke up to sore legs and 23 degree temps. When I got to the course Marshall had decided to sit the day out and I was thinking that might be a smart choice. The course was 3 laps around an 8 mile loop with 2 decent climbs including one cat 5 climb. During the neutral roll out a rider hit the ground and the rider right in front of me went over his bars right onto the pavement right beside him. I barely got stopped in time but one of the strong UNCW riders from yesterday had hit another rider and he asked my to see if his brake was rubbing. Once I saw that is was I told him to stop and I fixed it for him and he pulled us back to the group. As we started to race we went straight back to the surging pace from yesterday up the first climb going 12mph then 22 mph. I noticed I wasn’t feeling to snappy but I sat in the front of the pack and approaching the second bigger climb I was sitting second in line.
A state rider attacked right at the base but I knew him from mtb season and he wasn’t a threat. Then the next second a strong duke rider attacked and tried to get the state rider to go with him. I pulled out into the lead and decided to just ride a nice steady pace up the climb rather than the surging pace. I quickly reeled in the state rider and then a few seconds later I reached the duke rider and then counter attacks went. When I stepped on the gas I felt dead. I caught onto the end of the pack which had whittled down to the same 14 guys as yesterday after my pull up the climb. Basically, after that I kept at the tail end up that pack, but barely. Then the second time up the big hill about half way up my legs shut off completely.
The next time through I pulled out as I wasn’t interested in riding alone to a fourteenth place finish again. I never felt good from the beginning and held on as long as I could but I knew it wasn’t my day.
Overall it was a great weekend and I enjoyed racing and officiating. I felt strong Saturday and hope I can get that top five finish soon. As far as moving up to C though I think ill hold off for a bit longer. there are some guys who I know are stronger than me who were off the back this weekend so maybe its not for me yet.
Looking forward to a flat RR this weekend and our crit.
(thanks to John Macchoine or the pics)
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