Little Out of My League

My father, a really smart guy, with many words of wisdom always told me " Don't ever show up to a gun fight with a slingshot" Well, I listened to him usually, and took his advice for most things. For some reason, I didn't listen to him yesterday at the Superweek Evanston Criterium, Masters 30+ 1,2, 3's race. Or let me re-phrase the category as follows: Guy's who happen to turn 30 something this year, and are national caliber cyclists, former Olympic team members, recently retired professional cyclists, national champions and a couple of category 3 racers, who squeeze in about 150 miles per week training.

This is what my competitors "weapons" looked like on the starting line.

Started off as planned, stay in the top 10, and ride wheels. Well, the 30 something+ miles per hour up the front & back stretch started to take it's toll. I kept saying, when is this going to slow down? It didn't. Actually, the race promoters were throwing out $100 primes, to make it even faster! AAAGGGHHH!

Mid way through the race, I was struggling to hold last wheel. Just couldn't physically do it. I have been racing masters 30+ all year, and finished in the top 1/4 of the field, most every time. I actually wish I had an excuse, but did not. I knew that pre-race, all was good, bike OK, lungs OK, legs OK. I even put my Big Boy underpants on that morning.

Got popped off the back. I quickly remembered what Edgar, President of my fan club & alter ego told me: "winners never quit". So, I got together with 4 other "off the backers" and we trudged on. We dropped three of them, and kept on at about 25-27 mph, nice painful pace. Coming into the final lap, we got pulled by the officials, as the field was rounding the corner behind us. Dang! I couldn't give anymore. When you give 110% and still get pulled, nothing else I could do.

I guess I should have listened to my Dad. "Don't ever show up to a gun fight with a slingshot".

12th place X 2

Little updates. Took last week off, to "rest" my legs. Getting to the point in the season, where I was not recovering like I wanted to, and needed a little break. Did some nice riding with the gang, nothing too heavy. Still got in a couple of hundred miles, but little intensity. Have 20 races in so far this year, and have another 18-20 on my schedule, including cyclo-cross.

Did the Wood Dale ABR State Criterium Championships the first weekend of July, both the 30+ and the Cat III's.
30+ was fast, strong and windy. My buddy Robert was off the front most of the race, as usual, so I did my role as teammate & friend, and blocked, chased things down, blocked, and did a lot of work. It was nice, as I would up in 12th place overall, out of about 50 something riders. Not too bad.
Robert & I at the start before the 30+ event.














Turtle looking for the best draft, saving energy for the workload ahead of me. I actually bumped into a guy in turn 3 as we swept through. I was so low on the bars, and he was so tall, that my helmet actually touched him in the ribs!


The Team Mack Gang after the 30+ event!

Biker Danny, newbie and up & coming cat 5 to cat 3 in one season did the 3's race with me. We had fun, and it was fast. I decided to launch into turn 3, for the final sprint. Ramped it up the best I could, into the final turn, and got passed by 11 others, for another 12th place finish.

I guess two 12th placed in one day is a sign? I'm getting there, slowly but surely. 2009 will be a smoking season I think!


Update on The Boyz.

If you don't know, and you do now, I have an extensive collection of Manhattan Toy Co. stuffed dinosaurs dating back to the mid 80's. Weird? Yes. Care? No.

Well, Yunior & Oscar (right to left) required some medical treatment that needed to be performed by a specialist, located in Frankfurt, Germany, by the infamous Dr. Rebeccasprechen.

Ms. Rebecca heads the Refuge for Injured Dinosaurs, an international organization for dinosaur care. She offered to escort them to Deutschland for the procedure. She got them a first class, round trip ticket from the states, personally escorted them & "assisted" in the procedure. The Boyz are still in recovery in Chicago, but the procedures went well. Thanks Ms. Rebecca, The Boyz are forever in your debt, and they have a life span of about 2 million years, so that's a LONG time!
Ms. Rebecca with Oscar & Yunior heading to Germany!

Sharmin sent me over some pics from the Proctor Criterium last Sunday. I will provide comments on each, as you would not have guessed that.

Here's the "mini" Team Mack Train going through turn number 5

Mack Train x 2

Who ever said Waterford Bikes don't grow on trees?

Now there's a turtle with muscle!

Our fearless leader, Team Director & friend, Uncle Gary

This is the turtle going "turtle warp speed" through turn 1.

Thanks Flicksphotos.com for the photo!

Toughest $12 I have Ever Earned!

Did the Proctor Criteriums this last weekend. Entered the 30+ 1,2,3 race and the Cat 3 later that afternoon. The masters race, as they call them is really not a masters race at all. It just happens to be a bunch of cat 1 & 2 riders, who just "happen" to be above 30 years old. Me, being a slightly out of shape, overweight and non-seasoned racing turtle, (as you can see from my most recent photo), have to re-pay my dues to the team by being a super domestique, or laborer as we call them in the construction field.

My buddy Robert, 40 something in age, decided to race in the 30+ field, as Team Mack had no one to contest the 30+ state title, especially me. So, off he went, in a nice break off the front, and I was left to do my job in the field. This included blocking, chasing down any threats to the break, going turtle speed through the turns, taking wide turtle corners etc. just to throw everyone's momentum off. I would up in 11th place for the 30+ field.
Robert got 3rd in the state, and some other teammates collected prize winnings as well. By the time we split the pot of cash, I got my payday. $12.00

Not too bad I think. These gals want a $12.00 minimum wage, which my teammates agree with, so I got the $12.00 I earned.

Cat 3 race was a pretty big field, 80 something guys. Race was hard & fast. Legs pooped out on the final lap, took 34th in the field sprint, which is fine. Had a blast all weekend!