When last I wrote, I had just finished the Waukesha M3/4 crit. And I was feeling pretty good, strength and fitness-wise. And not as tired as I was after Saturday's race though in many respects, Waukesha was harder. On the way home, I was grappling with the concept of doing the Greenbush road race. Hmmm - if I was to continue to be in contention for the overall series in the 55+ M3/4, I would need to go. And my weight is good so climbing should be OK. But, for better or for worse, reality won out. Missing a day of work was not going to be a happening thing. Too much for me to do. And I had promised friends that I would drive the carpool. And I thought it would be better for me to take an active rest day in rather than beat myself up day after day. So, time to steer my thoughts towards the Schlitz Park crit in Milwaukee on Tuesday.
The day started out good. Looking at the weather forecast, it appeared the thunder showers would not roll thru till about 3, well after my race. Punched in what I thought was the correct address into the GPS and away I go. Somehow, I had it in my head that the race was a little south of 94 instead of a little north. And so that is how what I thought was impossible was achieved - getting lost while using a GPS! I knew the cross streets but kept thinking mistakenly that the race was in the opposite direction of where it was. FINALLY got to the race site 45 minutes before my start time - half an hour later than planned. No opportunity to ride the course (something that is not built into the TOAD planning but which I have been trying to do). Wish I had ridden it! The course looks like the other TOAD crits from a map - a rectangle with a chicane stuck in. Only this one had a left-right-left-right kinda chicane with the first left of the series coming off a significant descent. It had the potential for a fun course if you did not slide on the manhole covers scattered thru the chicanes.
A smallish field lined up - maybe 45 riders with of course the folks vying for the 55+ overall. Two minutes before the start of the race, the skies opened up and it poured. It let off just as the race was started and I honestly do not know if it rained during the race - you know how road spray makes it a moot point anyway. I had decided to ride my alloy wheels rather than my carbon tubies because the gearing on the alloy wheels should let me stay in the big ring up the climb. The trouble was, I had the carbon brake pads on and past experience had shown that my braking was "suspect" with this combo in the rain. Anyway, the gun goes off an it is immediately into the climb - steep and the boys are pushing it. I am mid pack and not feeling bad on the climb but there is a LOT of variation in the confidence people are feeling on the turns and the descent. Some are going backwards and some are charging forward. I am trying to move around those moving backwards while not sure how much I want to test my cornering and braking. And DAMN but those manholes are in BAD places. I am not sure how my brakes are doing so I am not taking the lines I normally would. First time thru the start/finish and it is a LONG line and I am not where I was hoping and I can see the gaps opening. I am still riding OK up the climb but not willing to push thru the corners and after a couple laps find myself with a small group. We are all starting to figure out the lines thru the corners and I feel like the pace is pretty good but it is too late for us - the leaders are up the road. The course starts to dry out a bit and we are passing lapped riders (already?) and catching up to a few who could not hang on the climb. Those manholes continue to look as big as tractor tires, however. I watched a couple guys slide sideways on one coming into the finishing straight. And in the end, finish 20th or so. Wish it had been dry but the sad truth was that my climbing was not quite good enough to be with the lead pack. Still, it was fun, especially the bottom part of the chicane once I dialed it in. And on the drive home, I drove thru a storm that was headed to Milwaukee - hope Eric was done before it hit!
Next up - Fond du Lac on Friday followed by Downers and Madison.
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