a training week...

that's what it's been, a good training week. it started last sunday at the winghaven race, then i rode to work on tuesday afternoon with a stop at creve coeur park to get in a few laps around the lake and then rode home the next morning. while riding through the old bridgeton neighborhood that was condemned, i got to thinking that area would make for a great circuit race. there are no homes up, but the streets are still there. i think i may ride to work more often on tuesday afternoon, which is basically my friday. it's tough to do on any other day because i've got to be back in 10 hours later and suffer through the midnight shift. anyways, myself and denny got in some good miles on thursday and then today i got in about 85 and more tomorrow. what am i training for? i don't know yet, looks like i may not be racing until superweek up in chicago and wisconsin.

now you may ask what's up with the picture? well, they've got something in common besides me sucking down a waterbottle. they were both races i really suffered in. last year at dogwood and this years winghaven. winghavens got my number, i was going pretty good last year after taking the first two kom's and about to snatch a third before flatting. hopefully they'll have it again next year. i've heard some rumors that it may not happen and some of the sponsors may pull out. we'll see, i'd like to see it because it's a great event that's local.

winghaven debacle...

well, today just wasn't a good day for me. i hadn't been sleeping well lately and so i took a tylenol pm last night thinking i had plenty of time for it to wear off. the race wasn't until 12:30. i guess i was wrong or at least i'd like to think that. my legs felt heavy from the start and i just wasn't feeling like it was going to be a good day. it was crazy fast from the start, which is hardly anything new. i periodically checked my heartrate during the first few laps and i was continuously in the 190's, high 190's. with three or four laps to go i started getting to that breaking point, mentally i just wasn't there, thinking do i go into overdrive and into the red zone and hang with the pack? well, with five laps to go, my mind got the best of me and i just popped off the back of the pack. i wasn't feeling well and i had to work tonight, so what the hell, i'll take a dnf and come back next race. so as i make it up the one short, punchy climb i start to realize that i may be able to latch back on and give it another go. instead of making a right turn i proceeded to give what i had left. they weren't too far ahead, but i just couldn't catch back up. at this point there was only four laps to go so i figured i'd work with some other stragglers and maybe reel in the pack or just finish. i ended up catching and dropping a few guys before finally working with a hub rider. we worked together until the end and he took me on the sprint up the hill. it was a rough day in the saddle, but all things considered it was a success. i ended up finishing on the same lap as the main pack although a few minutes back. oh well, back to the grind!!!