Greetings,
After my first road race I decided that it was time to meet individuals who shared the same interests. I noticed a flyer on campus about the IUP Cycling Club. I went to the first meeting and met the guys and decided to really become an active member. During the same time period my training remained the same, but I was riding a newly acquired Giant TCR A0. I took the bike to Rich so he could overhaul it, because it was in a desperate need of some attention. The bike itself was in great shape, but the previous owner neglected to take care of it. I doubt it mattered to him since he was riding a Cannondale Supersix 3 at the race.
After my first road race I decided that it was time to meet individuals who shared the same interests. I noticed a flyer on campus about the IUP Cycling Club. I went to the first meeting and met the guys and decided to really become an active member. During the same time period my training remained the same, but I was riding a newly acquired Giant TCR A0. I took the bike to Rich so he could overhaul it, because it was in a desperate need of some attention. The bike itself was in great shape, but the previous owner neglected to take care of it. I doubt it mattered to him since he was riding a Cannondale Supersix 3 at the race.
The cycling club went to the Peanut Butter Mountain Bike race so I decided to tag along. My role was the “mother” of the group consisted of taking photos and helping get the bikes in and out of the car. It was a lot of fun to attend the event though, but I made me want to get a MTB bike, time will tell on how long it takes for one to end up in my house.
Duane (president of the cycling club) and I decided to attend the Wheel Around the Hub race in Smethport, PA. This was Duane’s first road race and my second. He decided to join the 53 mile race and I road in the 15 mile. I knew that my conditioning wasn’t at the level to run in the 53 miler. After getting all our gear ready we went on a nice one lap warm up. The track was rather flat with one small hill at the finish, so I knew that the pace would be well over 20mph. Duane and I really felt good after the warm up and we were familiar with the turns and obstacles of the track. Overall the weather was great, it was a nice sunny day, and you couldn’t ask for better race conditions. We began to stage and listen to the instructions for each race and then proceed to the starting line. The 53 mile race took off and disappeared pretty fast after the straightway. When the 15 mile race began, I had a terrible time getting my left foot clipped in and I was shot out the back. I didn’t bother me because I knew most of the riders would drop off within the first lap and I waited patiently in the back. On the 2nd long straightaway I made some attacks to get into the lead back and began to share the pulling. I pulled the group into the bridge because I didn’t want to get hung up with someone and end up in a wreck. The pace was around 24mph and when I approached the next turn the fire marshal pointed straight so I followed his directions while everybody went right. Luckily, I cut back through the grass and caught the pack, one guy helped pull me back while we discussed how much of an idiot that guy was. After we finished the first lap the pace increased even more and a bunch of guys shot past me on the strait. Again, I just waited in the back and made an attack on the outside of the first turn. After crossing the bridge there wer
e only 6 of us left in the lead pack. When we were about 2 miles from the finish the top three took off and left us remaining three. I soon discovered Duane and I instantly knew he has mechanical problems. He caught up to me and told me how he stripped his pedal out of the crank. He decided to help pull me through the finish and we were traveling about 30mph through some sharp turns. On the pull thought the one S turn I was too fast coming in, so I had to sit up and ended up going off into the gravel. Luckily I didn’t drop it and I ended up jumping the bike back onto the road. For that mistake the 2 guys in my pack left me and tired to draft off Duane. They ended up putting some distance on me, until that got to the turn and I made a decent attack, but the heading was terrible. I came within about three seconds of them and ended up finishing 6th overall. It was a great race and I brought home a medal, but I was shocked to see the first place finisher in the 15 mile race light up a cigarette after he was finished. Anyway, cheers to that guy, I will take 6th overall anyday before I start to smoke after a race.
e only 6 of us left in the lead pack. When we were about 2 miles from the finish the top three took off and left us remaining three. I soon discovered Duane and I instantly knew he has mechanical problems. He caught up to me and told me how he stripped his pedal out of the crank. He decided to help pull me through the finish and we were traveling about 30mph through some sharp turns. On the pull thought the one S turn I was too fast coming in, so I had to sit up and ended up going off into the gravel. Luckily I didn’t drop it and I ended up jumping the bike back onto the road. For that mistake the 2 guys in my pack left me and tired to draft off Duane. They ended up putting some distance on me, until that got to the turn and I made a decent attack, but the heading was terrible. I came within about three seconds of them and ended up finishing 6th overall. It was a great race and I brought home a medal, but I was shocked to see the first place finisher in the 15 mile race light up a cigarette after he was finished. Anyway, cheers to that guy, I will take 6th overall anyday before I start to smoke after a race.
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