Jim Merrifield
Coming off a decent Tour of America's Dairylands series (for me, at least), I was hoping to do OK at the WI state crit championships in Menomonee Falls. Some rest, a couple interval workouts and I felt ready to have some fun. I am finally feeling like I can race again after an abysmal spring. Of course, there are always things to do around the house and after playing with a drip watering system in the veggie garden, I wandered into the house and WHOA CRAP! I should have left 15 minutes ago! Bike is not in the car, bottles are not ready, etc, etc, etc. Good thing there was not much thought in what to wear - 90+ and high humidity = skinsuit weather (and damn little else). Grab a triple ginger scone and fly out the door. Who needs caffeine?!? My GPS got me there about 45 minutes before the race. And I am feeling more relaxed - the course has long straights and wide corners. I will be able to sit in until the legs are ready to go without too much effort if I can not get them moving in the warmup. But no issues in warmup. Not sure if my legs were loose because of the warm weather or I hit just the right combo of spinouts and short intervals the day before but no complaints. Should have brought more water, I quickly realized as I decided that I wanted to do both the M3/4 and the M1/2/3 (no clue why - I have not finished 2 races in one day since EARLY spring). Lined up for the M3/4 and had one teammate, Patrick Callahan who is feeling much better after some lung crud during TOAD. The team plan - ride smart and hope for some opportunities. Team Velocause decided to send people to the front to keep the pace up a bit but no attempts went anywhere. I learned my lesson from TOAD and anytime I moved up, I went past all the riders hoping to be 5th wheel and rolled up to 3rd or 4th wheel. Which is what I did with 2 to go but could not stay there. Feeling stronger but just was not strong enough to insist on staying in the front. And with a few too many people trying to win the race from the back of the pack, I was content to go thru the last 2 corners safe sound. And shortly thereafter, I heard my name being called as one of the podium finishers. I knew there were not too many old guys in the field but....
My main concern at that point was getting ready for the M1/2/3 race. I was hot and wish I had more water to drink during the race though I was not feeling dehydrated. Looking at my skinsuit, however was another story - it was showing a lot of white salt lines. I decided what I needed to do was sit on the windtrainer and DRINK. Keep my legs moving but try not to sweat. I was realizing that in my race out of the house, I had not brought near enough water. I had maybe enough to drink. Maybe. Certainly not enough to wear during the next race. Was not sure what to expect for the race. Superweek had started and a number of the usual suspects often did Superweek. Eric and Forrest were there but would it be a big field or small? It was a very respectable field - looked like 60+ on the line and all the fast folks. Gonna be a long hot race but there was more than enough of a field to hide in as needed. And I had incentive! I had found out just before the start of the M1/2/3 that I was the gold medalist for the M3/4 in the 55-59 group - though in the spirit of full disclosure, I had NO COMPETITION. No one else in my age group (or older) braved the race. Could I be a double medalist? I was gonna try! I saw one guy who was likely in my age group and I would make sure I finished in front of him even if it was second from the end. The gun goes off and I slam my ankle against the pedal as I tried to click in (really starting to hate those pedals!) and it is fast from the start. And hot! One of the houses on the course had an above ground pool and I saw some guy jumping in, thinking I would SO like to be there. At the start, I slid towards the front and tried to ride in good position. A lot of action but no moves that seemed intent on sticking, though there were a quite a few laps where I was holding onto my wheel as the pack was strung out. Not sure if there was chasing down to do or a team was trying to soften up the competition. When the pace slowed I would slide up the side but never stayed there for long as the action stayed busy even if never decisive. By about halfway thru, my bottle was almost dry and I was in serious energy management mode. And the pace was gradually picking up - the pack was not bunching up nearly as often. I was towards the back and not liking it there but never was able to take an easy ride up. I would move up a few wheels here and there and then fall back a few in other places. I was focused on being smooth and not wasting energy, trying not to overheat. I felt like I could have moved up, had the legs but at what cost? The idea was to wait for the opportunity to use my energy to greatest advantage. The opportunity did not come. The pack was pretty strung out for the last 5 or so laps and while I could see the front, it was not within reach. And now the cost to move up was greatly increased. Starting to move on the last lap when BANG - carnage in the middle of the road. Just a few riders down but those behind the pack were essentially stopped. I picked my way thru and made a hard push for the finish and WHEW - now WHERE IS THAT POOL? I was going to ask if I could jump in but was not going to make a guerilla raid. I circled the course once looking for someone watering the grass, hoping I could get them to put the hose down my back for a few minutes. Back to the car to lick out the last of the water - at least I had half a small battle waiting. When I left the house I was thinking it might be what I used to clean off. Nope - strictly for internal consumption. And then I hear my name announced again. Whoa! Another gold medal and this time I actually had ONE OTHER PERSON in my age group (though not the guy I identified earlier - he was in the 60+ group - and finished a lap down.) So there you go - I beat one person and go two medals - pretty damn efficient if you ask me! But I was more pleased that I had two good races despite it all.
