Hi All! Well, it's official. My first race of 2011 is in the books. The Peninsula Clif Climb, up in Rolling Hills, CA, just outside of Ranchos Palos Verdes. What did I think of the event? Awesome! The details...a 6-mile uphill Time Trial, with 1200ft of elevation gain. Great course, fairly light traffic, and some incredible views. The results?
I finished in 3rd place out of nine competitors in the Cat 4 category, with a time of 23:04. 1st place ran a time of 22:14. Of course I was hoping for a win, but hey, a podium finish for the first race of the year isn't bad! I did notice that the guy who finished in 1st, is also going to be racing out at Boulevard this Saturday. I'd keep an eye on him for sure if I knew what he looked like!
Anyhow, as I mentioned, Boulevard is this coming Saturday, and I'm beginning to get extremely anxious as the day gets closer. The first mass start of the season is always nerve racking for me, everyone seems nervous, and there always seems to be more then the usual bar bumping, and less then polite language happening within the peloton as the pack makes its way down the road. My strategy...just try and be in the top twenty riders as the pack approaches the right-hand turn on to La Posta Road. As always, the pack will soon thin out as the road points up, and I'm usually too far back, and find myself weeding through the stragglers, while the leaders are motoring up the climb. Of course this strategy is easier said then done. It takes a huge amount of nerve to hold your place near the front through the back half of the course and all that descent!
On tap this week as far as training goes...short, light-to-medium intensity rides, and nice opener Friday, then off to the race Saturday. Sunday, I plan on sticking to my tradition of riding down to Mira Mesa to watch some of the action at the Red Trolley Crit, assuming the weather holds out. Hope all is well. Until next time...
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