Heavy Legs

Today I raced over in Ann Arbor and I had high hopes. I trained well this week and ate well this week, the results just aren't coming. The race started fast today and I struggle to stay on the main pack the first few laps. I managed to hang on to the main field and slowly grew into the race, as every break was pulled back in almost immediately. I hung out towards the back of the group and at times made some efforts to move up towards the front. Coming around after the first lap, I found myself in the front doing all the work; wasn't too big a fan of that as it was very windy today. I didn't have the legs to be a major player in the race today, and its hard for me to tell why. I rode well and actually got a flat on Wednesday, I rode well at the TNR on Thursday and took Friday and Saturday off, which may have been a mistake.

Going into the final lap I was actually first wheel and about half way thru the lap I was still first. Someone came around me and I got on his wheel and I remember saying to myself, 'Charlie, you're in a good spot, make something happen'. So now I'm in second coming into the last turn and the uphill sprint to the finish, and I came around the outside of the turn and that was a mistake. Everyone came flying around the inside and I didn't have any legs for the sprint. I was in much to hard of a gear and couldn't really turn the pedals to get any power.

I made it a point during the rides in the week to sprint with a higher cadence and an easier gear, but somehow I completely did not do that today, and that was a big mistake. I would have placed much better if I had been in a better gear. I need to just find a wheel I want to stay on in a sprint situation and just hold that wheel! I believe I finished around 15th, but the results have not been posted yet.

This week I am going to stay off the bike, except for Thursday, and run! I'm running the Kalamazoo half marathon on Sunday; after having not run for a few weeks! I plan on running around 4 miles on Monday and Tuesday, taking Wednesday off, running around 8 on Thursday morning. On Friday maybe 5 or 6 miles, a light jog on Saturday, and race day on Sunday! I don't feel particularly ready.

4/14 Eagle Creek Crit, Indianapolis, IN 12th Cat 4/5 (29)
4/22 Notre Dame Crit, South Bend, IN 12th Cat 4/5 (29)
4/29 Ann Arbor Spring Training Series 22nd Cat 4/5 (40)
6/3 Cobb Park Crit, Kankakee, IL
6/9 BTR Crit, Kalamazoo, MI
6/10 Race for Wishes, Lawton, MI
6/15 Zeeland Crit, Zeeland, MI
7/15 Corktown Crit, Detroit, MI

Things I learned
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Easier gear for sprints, have to be able to turn the pedals when the legs are heavy
Don't take days off before a hard effort
Find a wheel in the sprint and stay on it!

Again, I'm still looking for a result that I can hang my hat on. I feel it is coming, but with that being said, I'm not super confident in my bike racing, a good finish will change all that I hope!

Looking forward to a week of recharging the bike brain! Half Marathon next Sunday will be super awesome to see all the people come out, and will probably race at the Martin Speedway on Monday May 7. Then I'm leaving for Tennessee on Thursday, stopping first in BG to hang out with Betsy and new friends! I'll leave right after the TNR with my bike and get to Tennessee on Friday to see Sarah Noe and ride in the mountains. For now, I think I'll finish the rest of my homework and then forget about school for a couple months!

Cheers! CE