Fidel's world plus a bike race

Saturday, March 23, I spent the entire day at a track meet in Carbondale, IL. It was a fairly good meet, as we had some good performances. Our men's 4x400m relay set a school record with a time of 3:23.82, which is pretty good considering the same 4 guys ran 3:27.10 indoors. We also had some decent performances in the 800m as well. We also had some not so good performances.

Well after the meet, we drove home, were Thomas was waiting for me, so we could head towards springfield for the Dogwood RR. Because the meet ran late, we didn't leave the lou until about 9:30 or so. We had to stop to get gas in Cuba, Missouri and thats where the fun starts. Thomas pulls up to a pump. I get out, and not even thinking about it, put my credit card in. Well this lady comes up and says, I pre-paid $10 on that pump. I said, "Ok, but it took my credit card, and where is your car?" She apparently moved it forward to the station because she saw a friend and wanted to talk to her...heaven forbid she just walk up to her while her car is filling. So I go inside, where there are about 10 people just milling around, while alarms were going off. It was a shift change, and they were counting the till, and apparently when you take the till out of the register, alarms go off. So this lady and I explain the situation to the guy at the counter, and he gets his manager, because he isn't sure what to do. Well the manager comes out, and its this big fat lady; I kid you not, who had only 5 teeth. I explain the situation again, and she figures out what to do. I turn around and look at one of the 10 people milling around, and there is this guy standing there smoking a cigarette, with no shoes on!!! Talk about weird!! So I go outside fill the car up, go back inside (I had to leave my card at the register), but while I'm inside the guy with no shoes on, is fillling up at the pump next to us, and while he still has the hose in the car filling, he starts to drive off!!! Gas goes everywhere!!! Talk about an experience.

Thomas and I drove off, just shaking our heads. We stopped in Marshfield, MO for the night. The next morning we drove down to Bradleyville for the race. For me it went decent. I felt very comfortable up to the KOM climb. I told myself not to contest the prize, and just ride smartly. Well with about 600m left of the climb I thought I was in position to make a move, which I did and rode myself to the tail end of the leaders, but in doing so, I redlined. I had to slow to recover, and in the short 5 minute period they gapped me, and it opened even more as we turned into the wind. My back ended up tightening up and I really wasn't able to produce a lot of power from that point forward. I was able to keep the gap, but not close it. I finished 18th and about 5 minutes down...talk about frustrating. It was positive though to understand that, that was the longest I've been on the bike all year, and it wasn't the easiest of courses to race. I'm excited for the tilles park crit which is April 8. I look forward to getting some good training in before that race.