So that was hard...

Housatonic's one of the few races that caters to climbers. Two years ago, in my
first shot at the Pro 1-2 race I was popped halfway through the first lap. Last
year I made it to the finishing climb and finished mid-field. This year I wanted
to be better. This year they made the race even harder.

Bruno, Adam, Todd, Thomas, Jeromino, and I represented FT/IF pb Lionette's. Due
to construction, they cut out a portion of the course, instead running us over
the finishing climb three times and then finishing at the bottom. To add back
the distance, they tacked on a new, hard-as-hell loop. Nice.

Lap one hurt for all of us. My legs came around just in time for the first real
time up the big climb and I got over the top with the lead group of 10 or so.
The field came back together some, but in a much shrunken variety with maybe 50,
including Adam and me, left. Next lap, I got over the top with Jamey Driscoll
and Josh Lipka (FdF) 10 seconds off the lead group of 15 or so. Jamey and I made
it back on at the top of the next climb. And there I was, sitting in a rather
stacked and intimidating lead group as the attacking, mostly from Spinelli (KBS)
and Jamey, started. An acceleration with fewer than 10 miles to go did me in and
I rolled in for 14th, between the lead group and the "field." Jamey managed
second, maybe he'll share prize moneys. At least there was lemonade. So that's
nice.

Better this year, but there's still room for improvement. It was an awesome,
truly hard race.

Oh, also, the course included several fast, twisty descents. I weigh 135 and
drop rather slowly, so getting low is especially important for me. No bike I've
ever ridden even comes close to how well my IF descends. Confidence inspiring is
an understatement.

Until next time,
Kevin