Author

Calvin Smythe on Apr 27, 2008

Race name: Whitnall Park Criterium Race date: Sunday, Apr 27, 2008

So there I was, riding with Tamara up to a race that I had no intention of winning. Calvin, you're really strong, like superman, why would you not intend to win, you might ask. Well, it's quite simple, I was going to Whitnall Park to make winning as easy as I could for my team mates and not worry about placing well.

I raced in the Cat 4/5 race only and had super fresh legs my form has been pretty good as of late as well, so I was stoked about this race and how well I was going to do what I was set out to do: make people's legs burn. Being confident in my physical ability and not caring about how well I placed personally created a great sense of euphemism for this race, but enough about what happened before the, what about the race itself?

The length of the race was 45 minutes + 3 laps = 18 times around the course. There were bumps in the road that became hills after going over them 10 times, and it showed in the quick and constant thinning of the pack. No breaks ever stayed off the front for longer than half a lap, and over the hills the pace would slow quite significantly unless I was on front. I spent half the race at the front, with 3 laps of leading the group around the course. After working hard for my team I watch from afar as Jacque, Jeff, Strittmater, and Brian duked it out in the sprint with the anticipation of a spectator knowing that I had done my job. We did alright, most of our team had already raced once earlier that day and I was the only one to not place in the top half of the field. It was a alright day.

Lessons learned: -I need to gain the courage to crawl further into the cave of pain.

-When leading the pack through a turn at 27 mph and I gap the guy on my wheel, don't slow down to wait for him, make him catch up to me.

-When Brian or anyone yells "We are gapping the field." Don't look behind to revel in the destruction. Put you head down shift to your 53-11 and bury it.