Haw-Haw-Hawente Road Race

This was to be the race I was 'sposed to have peaked for. A Masters 55+4-5 going 6 deep? Oh, yeah baby, bring it. Been waiting for this one since last December. And except for getting dropped on the first climb of the first lap and spending the next 4 laps chasing and suffering like
I have never suffered before and spending the entire race arguing with myself about quitting or
not quitting and wanting to climb of the bike like never before, it was a great race!
Not only did I cramp in places I never knew existed, I somehow got bruises on the inside of both
legs just above the knee-cap, yet they never banged into anything. Very strange indeed.

So I roll up to the line and low and behold, who's the first person to roll up next to me but Larry
Wolf hisself.

Me: Larry! What are YOU doing here? Surely you must be at least a Cat 3.

Larry: No, not yet. Can't get any upgrade points 'cause there's not enough guys in the races
to qualify.

Me: You should do 45+ races. You'd kill 'em.

Lar: yeah, right.

So there I was...for those of you who don't know, I think Larry has won every race he has entered this year. It would kinda be like being a decent 2 or 3 and having Hernando or Nolan
or Sasser et.al line up next to you. In that split second of a moment your entire plans have just
gone out the window.
Plus, my training has sucked this year. It's like take two steps forward, one back. With sickness and work I've not been able to get the miles in. Oh, well, race myself into shape, right?

I think the most embarrassing moment came when the Pro ladies caught me on that steep little
kicker where the road turns right about 7 miles in or so. Cross Road, me tinks.
I was so dying already and knew they were a comin' up on me and wanted to stay out of the way
but this was the worst possible place to get caught as I was trying to pedal my hiney up that hill
and give them room as well and it was just a cluster. I don't think I interfered with anyone, it
was just the place I did not want to be at the time.
They all got around me before the top and I was so toasted I couldn't even draft behind them, which is a real drag because that's my favourite part of road racing! Well, one of them anyway.

So I spent the entire race chasing this one carrot that I caught up to one time but never could
get around. It looked like I had it made going into the final lap cause I was able to catch on to him on the flat part going into the start area and was able to hang on Altamont no prob.
But on the last lap he hooked up with a faster group which was lapping us and he was gone.

Well, what do you know?! I make the right hand turn onto the steep section of Altamont Pass
and there he is. 20 meters at best up the road. Wellllll, things are a lookin' better. But, try as I
might, I just couldn't bridge up to him this time. There was nothing left to the point that I think
people were walking up that hill faster than I could pedal! Excruciating is the one word that describes that race that day. But I did manage to finish with a top ten, so I 'spose it was worth
it.

Micah, on the other hand, had a good race with the 3's, finishing in 7th after five laps. Or was it
six? Can't remember. What I do know is that after his 3 race, he jumped in with the junior 17-18
kids and hung with them for two more laps. That kid has really turned into a stud.

He also got 2nd in the junior crit Sunday, just missing out on the win by less than the width of a
tire!

Big kudos to Darryl Smith and family for putting us up and putting up with us. It was great being able to watch both men's and women's Little 500.
Got to hang with some big boys Sat. after the races ( Dean Leberge, Craig Roemer and Daniel
Hollaway) at the pasta feed the Smith's had for us all. Daniel is a good kid and I'm really glad
he's not a junior anymore 'cause he just killed them when he was, and seeing as Micah was one
of the many juniors to get slaughtered by him, I didn't care much for Daniel then. Now...he's a
good guy.

Till next time...