Tilles and Hermann race reports......

Tilles was last weekend, the day after hillsboro. Not much to be said, it was a typical crit with nice weather. I was able to stay at the front for most of the race and chased down a break. I think I may have had a teammate in it, but the numbers weren't looking good as they had about 15 guys in it and others trying to bridge. I managed to keep my position, but started out my sprint a little too late to gain a better result. I ended up in 12th.

Hermann was a different story. This was one race I should've just packed in. This is by far the hardest and most challenging race of the year. I was nowhere being 100% for this race. I spent Monday, Tuesday, and Wedensday packing up my apartment and moving to Chicago and then working my normal shift Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. Beyond my better judgement I ended up riding two and a half hours on Thursday night too, which I normally never do during my work week. I drove back to St. Louis Saturday night only to wake up Sunday and then drive to Hermann. Needless to say, I was pretty much sleep deprived, and physically tired. Now, to the race. I knew I was pretty tired, but thought I'd give it a go. The race started out hard with a lot of climbing. I made the first climbs just fine, but could tell I wasn't recovering normally. About mile 11 we he hit multiple climbs with a lot of the pack doing the accordian thing. I was falling to the back and the body was just not having any of it. With as tired as I was I could not see how my body was going to make it the rest of the way. I didn't see how finishing the race could do me any good. I was too tired to even continue the race and call it a good training ride. I decided it was too much to keep digging so I just called it quits and come back another day when I was rested and not physically tired from moving. Oh well, I know it's a lot of excuses, but that's all I've got for that race.

I'm not sure what the next race will be. The Tour of St. Louis is next weekend, but I think I need to stay here in Chicago and try to get settled in and find some training routes. Hellbender and Ste. Gen are on the schedule, but that's in mid may so I'll have to see what local races are up here in Chicago/Wisconsin. I have yet to find a place since I'm still living in a hotel, but that should change today. I hope to move in today and then go for a ride this afternoon.

hillsboro and chicago......

the hillsboro-roubaix race was today and i'd have to say that my results were less then stellar. basically, i let myself get too far back around mile 40. we got to the area of the course where there were many turns and accelerations. we made a left turn right into a crosswind and being so far back the peleton got really strung out. i had no protection from the wind and i was still recovering from having to jump the last gap and was redlined. i couldn't make it on and decided to just call it a day. i recovered and then just went at my own pace. i caught up to several guys and we worked together for the final miles. i ended up about 10 minutes behind the main group. i also used my new bike which i'll have to tweak since it wasn't as comfy as the canny.

i also started working in chicago this past week and will start to pack up the truck monday morning for the big move. i still haven't found a place to live, but i've got a few places in mind. so, basically, this is officially my last weekend in st. louis. tilles tomrrow.