Sleepy...Body hurts, HELP!

I am somewhat pleased with the way this weekend turned out. One of the most nerve-racking races of the season is now in the books. The annual Athens Twilight kicked off on Sat night with biggest and baddest girls/teams in the country in town to make a one-hour race freaking miserable or so i worried all day saturday that was going to be the case. Last year, I raced twilight in the pouring rain and got pulled. Granted it was my first NRC crit ever...so I had a lot to prove on sat night. Not only that i could finish but that I am different rider from last year. I decided to race this weekend on my power tap which was a great idea. The information was interesting and proved that I could have done more and well should have been more aggressive in the both races. Next time I won't just try to sit pretty and wait for the big girls to make the moves. The beginning was tough and I didn't get a good start. Those damn pedals never work for me. Maybe it's time for a new brand. Any suggestion?
So off the race goes and I am working like a dog to get moved up. Looked around and saw some girls i knew i didn't want to be around very long. Got out of that situation fast and continued to move up. Within minutes the field was becoming shattered and strung out. Had to close a few gaps but got in a comfortable position and pretty much stayed there the entire race. Athens is like no other race. Every corner you hear your name being yelled and it motivates you just enough to hang on and push just a little harder. With a few laps to go, you could feel the pace getting faster. This is where my legs just started to burn and from what the power tap reads my heart rate was around 192. Nice huh...Last lap girls are getting freaky and the peloton is making some jerky moves. Best thing to do is either get off the front or stay patient. I chose patience for once, not the time for patience. In retrospect should have made the million dollar move but I just buried myself for the last half lap and rode in a comfy 24th.

The Kenda girls were represented well. Alisha pulled out a 13th and Jenny Trew got 17th. I ended up 24th but still in the $$. That is always fun. Now i get to take that and get a massage, THANK GOD! Thanks to all you girls that sat up in the sprint so I could take home a couple of extra dollars to pay for tip on my massage...Thanks to Chris for helping me get ready for the race and being there to keep all the media away from me while i warmed up. It's such a hassle having to do interviews for cyclingnews pre-race, hah hah ;-)

Yesterday was one long damn day. The girls, Deb, Alisha and I got in the car with Veronica, the temperamental GPS device, and made our way to Roswell. Our not-so-loyal men abandoned us and headed for home. Funny thing, it took them 2 hours to get out of Athens and get on 85N. Silly boys! I swear they can barely find their way out of a brown paper sack! Serves them right for making us set up our own trainers amd pinning our own numbers.

The Roswell Crit is fun course but the field was huge. I struggled at the start again and found myself in a bad position. Being at the back of the peleton in a crit is not safe nor is it easy. In fact, it's the place where you work the most. Work I did, up to the top third and there i sat moving back and forth. According to the power tap, this race was harder and faster than the night before. It didn't seem that way but then again the adrenaline level was quite higher for Athens and there wasn't as much excitement. A small break got away and no KENDA represented. I must have been taking a little nap during that part. It stayed away and the sprinters did their thing. I rolled in mid pack and was pleased to finish. No money yesterday, guess that means no dinner for the week.


It's Monday now and I can barely keep my eyes open. I am sure i will fall right to sleep during my massage. Big week ahead. Getting ready for Joe Martin next weekend. Looks like there is a lot of climbing in my future. Got all the crit racing out of the way, bring on the mountains! Stay tuned for pics of athens. there are some floating out there just have to find them.

Big thanks to Tim Hall for letting me ride home in the Cumberland University Van yesterday. Felt like i was back in college heading to some sporting event. I jump in the van and there it is the "cosmopolitan", you know CHICK magazine. What else are a bunch of guys going to do on a long road trip but read all about how they can tell if they are pleasing their girlfriends. Good luck guys! I am sure you still have no idea! I finally get home around midnight. It was late but it was fun comparing power tap info. What a bunch of bike dorks we are with our little bike computers!