I had an especially good time in Ogden, Utah this year. That is after the
second year of training for this Championship race. While I did not
compete in the Time Trial on Wednesday, I took the opportunity to cheer Dale
Harless in the Time Trial out on Antelope Island. Dale races for Apex and
is also in the 70-74 age group. The road race on Thursday this year was
45 miles with the 1500 foot, 7 mile climb to Snow Basin ski area. This
year the race started with a neutral 3 mile rollout allowing, unlike last year,
which allowed everyone to start the actual racing together. Our race
included all racers over 70 in 3 age groups, 70-74, 75-79, and 80+. We
had the full road within the enclosure and it was quite a sight to see the 8-10
motor cycle police leading the field, all not doubt experience from the Tour of
Utah. After the descent from Snow Basin we did two laps around the Pineview
Reservoir for a total of 37 miles before starting the climb to the finish
line. Our race was animated with surges and break-a-ways, with one that
gained 35 seconds and took 12 minutes and 5 miles to chase down. Reaching
the climb with the peloton was my first goal and having accomplished that we
started the climb. It was then that my leg cramps started and continued
all the way to the finish line. It seems that I had run out of
electrolytes and I must say I was afraid to stop as I did not think I would be
able to get back on the bike. I cross the finish line after 52 minutes of
climbing.
The
best part of participation in this national race is making friends from all
across the country. David Burnett from Norwich. Ct. Richard Shields from
Fremont, Ca., and Robert Peligrini from Los Angeles,
in
particular all national champions. Racing and chasing with a lot of
talented bike racers was so much fun for me.
The Criterium was definitely my “A” race both
this year and last year. We started a small field and adding in the other
age groups were 15 racers. The pace started slower than I expected, but I
used caution and put myself third through the first turn. Stuff happens,
there was a crash behind me involving two racers, and the race was neutralized
and restarted after two laps. Not the exciting fast start of last
year. The second start was faster with one rider, John Hany, also a past
national champion going off the front solo and gaining about a 10 second
gap. He was eventually caught and the peloton went into lap 4 where I was
leading with a group of 4 and we held that position going into the Bell
Lap. Coming out of turn 7 other racers sprinted and I attempted to catch
a wheel. I came in 6th just 4 seconds behind the leading 5
that got the same time. It was a great ending to a great week of
racing. Dale Harless took home a bronze for 5th place.
Masters Nationals next year are in Winston-Salem, North Carolina the last week
of May. I’m already looking forward to going next year to compete again.
My thanks to all of you for the support over the years. It’s great to
have such a fantastic team to race with and ride with.
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