The race would be the first race since my crash in the 2nd week of March. I didn't know how much fitness I had relative to my last period of racing, but I did an FTP test and ended up with the same FTP as I had in March. Therefore, I was looking forward to a challenging race yet I was confident that I could stay in the main field and hang around through every climb.
However, I knew my critical point was during the descents, and I did get left behind and used energy on the climbs to catch up. I knew that this was okay since the Stage Rd. Descent was really the only sketchy descent, and the fact that the descent had a few climbs in between them would make it possible for me to regain loss time. (The other descent was straight down then flat).
The biggest factor that had probably costed my race was me forgetting my water bottles at home. I thought I could be fine waiting for the feed zone, and even though I did hang on by the time we reached the feed zone, I ended up getting dropped on Haskins. What made it worse was that I didn't have an electrolyte drink...just water. It didn't hit me that I was bonking until the 2nd lap during the Stage Rd. Descent (I caught the main field with some other guys after Haskins). With that in place, I did my best to roll to the finish and rolling to my car was even harder.
Like always, I still had fun! Yes it was a disappointment that I couldn't race at my best effort but it's always a blast doing a local race. It didn't bother me at all after the race especially since it's happened to me at Wente Vineyards (another favorite course). I guess I haven't learned my lesson yet!
Now the interesting thing is I placed 44th which is exactly my placing when I did it a couple of years ago!
- DB
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