SCHOOLED

BACK TO SCHOOL

About 35 racers showed up for Conn Day’s Long and Grinding Road. This is one of approximately 50 grass roots events that the Too Bee Racer’s promote every year. For most of us it was a real thrill to be racing outside for the first time this season. The really fine course was a 1.3 mile closed loop inside the Lake Mac Bride State Park. We raced for 2 hours in chilly, but near perfect conditions.

Charging up hills, fast winding downhills and tricky challenging corners made for fast exciting racing. I was happy to ride near the back of the lead group while attrition narrowed the field to 10-12 guys in the first 50 minutes. I had identified the only other 60+ guy – Lyle from the Too Bees before the race started – and when our group lapped him I thought I have this thing in the bag. Lyle was able to hang on as we passed him and I decided to sit on his wheel for a lap or two and see what happens. It wasn’t impossible, but difficult to stay with the leaders – and I wasn’t going to be able to race with fast guy and winner Jim Cochran, Sean Walker, and even our skinny little friend Jeremy Fry – so when Lyle got gapped – I thought - fine, I’ll just race him for our age group win.

We started working together and my only goal at the time was to make him work enough that he wouldn’t be able to get away from me – even tho he was a lap down – my goal. We were talking and I asked him if he was like 61 or what. Here’s the SCHOOLED part. Lyle is 51. I just took off and beat myself up for the dumbass move for the remaining 20 minutes of the race. You’ve got to know your competition. And really, you may as well go with the leaders as long as you can. Race hard for the whole race. Lyle won the 50’s and I won the 60+ - but what do I know – I was probably the only old guy in the race.

Mike Johnson and Richard did well for the team and Paul Meyermann had a great day in his first ever road race. And my great training partner Kat did us all proud with a win in the women’s race.

Picture and story from Kat are below and results to come.

John