HELLO: my name is Andres…
(How to meet the pavement and ESL grammar test 1)
Missing the Chicago criterium due a family trip to upper Minnesota, the tour of Elk Grove was one of my personal target races. I registered for heat one and two thinking to complete more races as possible before the end of my first season and that maybe at this time be under top ten… why not?
I started the race back of the peloton felling strong, I worked my way up to the front sitting about third right behind Thomas Briney; I let him know that I was there and that he should attack at any time (I knew that he is a strong rider). Right behind us, a tight turn sent some riders to the curb … it is time to attack, Thomas jumped leading a group of four escapees including me and small gap was open with few strokes. Thomas organized a pace line with the escapees, we work together to increase the existing gap but the pressure was too much for me that I had to let them go.
Back with the accordion with two to go, I sat at eight thinking to recover quickly and then jump at the end to get maybe fourth or fifth when … (I hate this) I saw how the unattached rider in front of me overlaps his front wheel and then he falls… Now all is in slow motion (HELLO PAVEMENT: my name is Andres, nice to meet you!). I saw wheels and people over me… actually; I felt a wheel passing over my neck. Yes, over my neck (I am gad that some cyclists are lightweight). I get up thinking that I can just jump back again but soon I realized that the race was over for me… my neck, knees, butt and shoulder were hurt and the pain is horrible. Painfully I started to walk to the car stopping just to see how Thomas wins the race (Congratulations! you deserve it).
I learned:
-Drive with someone else, you will need a backup driver.
-Road rash really hurts but war wounds look cool.
-There is a reason why cyclists shave their legs.
-After crashing, a bath with Epson salt is awesome.
-Stay up front to avoid crashes.
-To stay up front, you have to work even more to be able to keep the pace.
-Get different training program, this one is not working at all.
-It is all about training techniques.
-Get help or advice from those wise teammates.
-Watch out… you are a Cat5 and Cat5s make many mistakes.
-Move quickly to Cat4.
-Take two weeks off because you are truly injured.