TSB: -4
Fitness is about three weeks ahead of last year, since I was sick in December 2006 and haven't been sick this year so have been able to ride consistently leading up to January 2008. Didn't taper for this race as I really don't stand a chance against the real climbers and don't want to lose the fitness associated with tapering.
Field: 2nd Wave, cat 4
Teammates: none, Erin, Beth, Lucia, Danny, Phil, Luke, Jenson, Rich, Chris, Lisa, in other categories
Below freezing temps near my home but by the time I get to the race it feels pretty toasty with minimal clothing on the warmup to the second light on Guadelupe Parkway and super chilly on the descent. Most of the usual suspects for promoting and racing with a few new faces.
Not much to report except the higher categories went in the first wave with a minute or two headstart and the cat 4's with me in there led the second and last wave. The start was super hard, with me at *close* to my five minute max for the first five minutes and I was still at the back of the lead pack. Going out that hard was possibly a mistake but will have to try a different approach next year! Felt like I was going to blow but all the drafting possibilities still in front of me motivated me to keep on going. The muscle strain left over from cross meant I would have to spin, although in the excitement of the start, spent the first two minutes way overgeared before correcting. Stayed with the same few folks from the second light right until the steep part and started passing a few others. With the mixed fields it was hard to tell who was in what field except I knew I wasn't racing the kids or women... But only had a very small amount left in the tank by the top so paced the overall effort well for me, close to my 2007 max AP and NP for the time duration so fitness coming along nicely since probably not racing again on the road until March.
Place: 13th/~25
I was slightly delayed by my inability to get started and pass someone who could not clip in so my elapsed time here doesn't match the race time.
T: 19:34
S: 18.5 kph
C: 93
Pavg: 282
Pnorm: 296
H: 179
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