While Monsters of the Midway is usually a barometer of my off-season preparation, Fox River Grove has been a mid-season measure of how well I'm prepared for Masters Nationals.

But this year, FRG is a month earlier, and Masters Natz is a month later, so my fitness isn't aligned closely at all, which had me worried.

See, FRG has been a highlight for me the past couple years, and something that keeps me interested in 4hr trainer Saturdays in January.

2 years ago, I won the Masters and was 2nd in the P1/2. Last year, I was 2nd in the Masters and won the P1/2. That was my first P1/2 win, and the first for XXX on the road since the Reid Mumford era. I wanted to do well again, and being forced for schedule to skip the 1/2s, I needed to give in the Masters.

Lining up in the 40s, I knew I'd have my hands full. 'Druber moved to Chicago this winter, Wayne Simon is full-out in pursuit of another national championship, and Chris Mosora is flying, coming off Tour of Gila and the day before's Monsters win. Plus, some of the other recent "geezer inductees," like Scott Pearson, were in attendance.

The race started hot, with local mountain goat Wayne Simon (he lives a mile from the course, and weighs no more than 140 lbs) setting a blistering pace up the climb the first time. I tried to sit in, but gaps were forming and I found I had to bridge the first time down the hill.

Amazingly, that was the break, in the first lap. It took a lap more to fully establish, but 4 minutes into the race, we were away.

'Druber was exceptionally committed, attacking hard to try to get away solo. We had to claw him back a couple of times, each time leaning harder and harder into the neighborhood turns to try to conserve precious downhill speed. Crit practice, for sure.

In the past, there's been a lull and I was able to catch my breath. This year, no lull. I'm not sure if it was my legs whining from the Monsters double-duty the day before, or these guys were drilling me, but many fans on the hill saw me grimace every trip behind the ski jump.

As the laps crept towards the bell, I started to consider finishing scenarios. I'd been in a break with Wayne here 2 yrs ago. He jumped early, I followed and was able to get around him. He wouldn't do the same this year, which meant that I couldn't either.

'Druber is a very real threat, with lots weapons, the main being the ability to ride faster than most folks. I had to surprise him, or overpower him. The former seemed more possible.

Ricardo is known to sprint well, but had already proven wily in the break, so I thought a surprise would be better with him too.

I chose to attack near the base of the hill. Most folks ride the inside (left) line on the first corner, then switch leads to the inside (right) on the second corner. Check the photos from almost all races and you'll see what I mean. It's steeper on the insides of both turns, and I noticed I'm able to better maintain momentum on the shallower (but longer way around) parts of the turn.

So, that's what I did, I swung out, went full gas and tried to get away from my break-mates.

It worked. I was 50 yards clear near the crest of the hill, and lowered me head and pushed as hard as I could down the backside. When I looked, I couldn't see anyone behind me, but breathing was nearly impossible, so I assumed vision was compromised too.

I gathered myself enough by the finish to zip up, and for the first time in my career, get both hands up in the air for what I hoped was a less lame post-up than my previous efforts. Photos say I have work to do, as I'm still nothing like some of the 2-fisted beauty we've seen from Briney, JT, Liam or Luke.

Once again, the folks of Fox River put on a great race, supported it nicely, allowed us to close their roads and monopolize their space. All for a little Sunday fun.