Joseph Sheehan Road Race 2012

Since I was writing an opening to the KCMBC newsletter I figured I should try and write about PTC's first Road Race of 2012.
First it was Raining. Second it was 54*. Third Believe it this was going to be my third ride this season over 40 mile! yes you read that correctly.
No worries that is what training is all about. In my last post I had stated I had experimented with some new training sessions based on my schedule and my lack of time to get those longer rides in. For the most part the race for me gets a B-. Oh I could handle the miles but stupid rookie like mistakes can take all the perfect training and dump it right out the window. I'll come back to this.

Rolled out to Leavenworth with the KCBC Racing team, Dan, Mark, Kyle and Brett. We meet Glenn at the event. Thunder and lightning all the way out with bursts of heavy rain really was inspiring, NOT.
Arrive venue and pick up race number. Lots of humming on what the heck the promoters and Official where going to do. The Weather map showed this window of open space and that was the ticket to have the race go as planned. It was raining when we started but all where in good spirits and wanting good spirits of any kind mostly the warm kind.

This is the start! I look good!

Race is off about 10 min. late. Mistake #1, I was in the front for way too long, but when people just want to stroll that is what we did. Roger Williams rolled up to me so we could chat and that was nice. I'd say that was the slowest I have ever rolled the first 10k of this race and again I was in the front.
Pace then picks up with two Santa Fe Bicycle Club guys leading the charge. A nice group of strong young riders come flying by and I grab a wheel and set on hard. I sat in about 10th wheel  and then over a roller and found myself setting 2nd wheel to the Santa Fe guy and this continued for several miles. We make a Right hand turn north and the same Santa Fe guys are back in front pushing the pace. OK Mistake #2, not setting in the group but keeping in-touch with those two guys. I should have let them go and allowed the peloton to help me pick them up.
Really all is good though. The pace was not hard but, Mistake #3, DO NOT FORGET YOUR NUTRITION!
I could feel a small cramp coming on about mile 22 just prior to the feed zone. Sat back in the peloton, got my breath back, relaxed and readied my self for more. I was feeling really good non-the less. I knew going into Atchison I did not want to be in front but in the peloton. The wind was coming out of the East sort of and I knew I would need some gas for the hill coming out of Atchison. Made the nice right hand turn up the hill to find Roger on the side of the road with a flat, bummer. Actually the hill this year was easier than in the past. I was not with the group but soon found them half way up the hill and sat in nicely. I do not want it to sound easy but I rolled up the hill well. Stayed with the group for 4 miles and allowed them to slowly roll away from me. At this time I knew I did not have the legs to fight up the hills. I kept the pace strong and slowly caught up to teammate Kyle. We though he had a broken spoke so we helped each other stay well out in front of the the guys in the rear. The Hwy out of Atchison is a nice flowing road that seemed to have big rollers and swooping turns. Kyle and I get well past the 10k marker and with 3 or less miles to go I hear this pisssss sound coming from his rear. I said you are flatting. Just then Roger comes rolling past. I told Kyle sorry but I got to go with Roger. Rolled hard to catch Roger again just to make sure no other riders had latched on to him, needed to keep my place. Inside the 2k to go I let him go and I rolled in on my own. The last 1k is mostly up hill to the finish. Overall this was a good race. My hands where frozen, my elbows hurt from the cold. My hand were so cold and so wet it was hard to shift. If I can just remember the Three mistakes I made early on and remember not  to do them I know races to come will have different outcomes.

Results of KCBC Racing was like this;

CAT 5

Brett Burgess- 20^th out of 41 starters

CAT 4

Dan Schaeffer- 6^th out of 30 starters

Michael Ruder- 17

Mark Horn- 18

Kyle Guinn flatted with 3 miles to go so a DNF. Kyle was rolling with me at the time and I felt bad leaving him on the side of the road.

Masters 50+

Glenn Eyler- 4^th out of 7 starters I understand it was a cluster at the finish line!!!


See you in the Peloton soon
Coach Ruder