Road Race - Road Kill

Woke up really early, drove to Fort Gordon, flashed a military ID, got on base, drove to start line and started warming up for the road race. As I mentioned in an earlier post - this was a hilly course - 8 significant climbs and not much flat area to recover. So I looked at the course and thought - 8 hill repeats - go for it and you may get a medal.

If only this smiling boy could have known what was coming.....

Ignorance is bliss during warm up

  

Fort Gordon band plays Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody" - totally unexpected, all the cyclists were singing along while warming up - everyone was smiling

An appropriate opener for a National Championship event - posting the colors and playing the National Anthem

The race began as a large cluster of upright riders. I paced myself and was at the front of all four climbs of the first lap - that way if I fell behind I was still in the group. By the end of the first lap a C5 rider and I got away - got a small gap and started to work together nicely. I was working but not too hard since I knew we could be snapped up pretty easily.

Going through the finish line - ahead of the group - at the beginning of the second lap

Working hard but feeling good

A trike and hand cycle come through while we were on our second lap

All types of bikes for these amazing athletes

As I started hill #5 I stood and pedaled then looked down to see if I had two flats tires - I didn't - but something had to explain why I was pedaling but going nowhere. It wasn't a bike malfunction - it was me - all the workers in the engine room had vacated the premises without notifying me. The group rolled past me and all the sudden I went from the front to the back. In between hills 5 and 6 I channeled Scott Westfall and worked my butt off to close the gap before hill 6 started. Tightly in the group, we began the climb and once again it felt like I was pedaling in molasses with two legs filled with cement. Within moments the lead group was the lead group - without me.

Crossing the finish line in fifth place - again - but taking a moment to pay tribute to Zimmer - without their assistance I would not have a functional left hip and an awesome bike to pedal around Nationals. This has been an awesome experience and Garry Clark and Monica Kendrick of Zimmer have made it possible - thank you very much.
 

My first National competition is in the books and I could not be happier. Okay, I could have wished for a better road race but I was truly cooked - nothing was left in my legs. Besides that I have thoroughly enjoyed meeting new friends, hanging with my Mom and palling around with my favorite girl in the world - Holly. She and I make a good team - she pushed me along with her butterfly wings - helped me warm up - took great photos and never for a moment let me forget that she was totally in my corner - 100%.

This may wrap up the blog - for Nationals - but stay tuned for other exciting events, races and photos to come. We have been overwhelmed with well wishes and curious followers who wanted to know how the events were unfolding - we hope you had as much fun as we did - without sweat pouring off you.Thank you all.

From Augusta with love,

Steve and Holly