Sylvan Island/ Bone Bender

Sylvan Island...check. 1 hour 43 minutes for about 19 miles was pretty decent. Awesome group riding the SS class. Only nine guys, but I knew just about everyone was strong enough to keep pushing the pace, and little mistakes would be the difference. I was partly right and partly wrong. With people like Ben Shockey, Nate Kullbom, Ryan Niepert (sorry on last name spelling), and Todd Gillihan in the race I knew that the pace would be pushed for the full five laps. I started strong on the wide open flat section before we hit the singletrack. I got into the singletrack in third place behind Shockey and Todd. We pushed a hard pace and after Shockey missed a turn it was Todd leading me around. He bobbled slightly on a turn and that forced me to take action and pass. I led the rest of the first lap at a much higher pace than I had wanted. With the trails the way they are, you can't put a lot of time on people in the actual singletrack unless you force them to dab a foot or they hit a tree or something. So it was talked about and decided that we had to continue pushing the pace, and continue passing the expert field, to try and put a small gap between us and the rest of the field. Ben and Ryan came roaring by on the start area straight-away and I just couldn't spin my legs faster, so I dropped to third. Kept riding hard and could feel that my heart rate was super high and that I had to back it off if I could. I got passed by Mr. Gillihan on another straight stretch, and then again by Tony in the PAMBA jersey on the other stretch. I got passed on the flats each time, and I just didn't feel like I had the explosion to keep up. Nate passed me and I ended up riding with a couple geared guys for a while until a flat tire took Bruce out. I just finished the ride by myself, felt ok. I felt the worst in the third round, and then better in the fourth and fifth except for so slight small cramp feelings in my legs. I would have liked to finish top three, but the field was fast and I wasn't. I did like that I felt like I could continue riding, just not any faster. Bone Bender 6 hour race is this weekend, and Nick will join me in heading down to Kansas City. Heading out to Sugar Bottom tonight to night ride for a while.