My birthday weekend was filled with three races and a 4th to a bbq. It started with the fairly straight forward Monsters of the Midway. I had done this twice previously. The first time to see if my knee felt like holding up and the second to see if my body felt like holding up. I guess it turns into a good barometer of where I am*. Saturday was a touch chilly of a day for May, requiring arm and knee warmers. I arrived after the 3's race to find out that the crashes that are normally in the turns had decided to move to the straights this year. Luckily this wouldn't Change my plan to much, stay near the front and be ready for the bunch sprint. As I was warming up for the race, Meg arrived to provide support and cupcakes.
The race started fast and stayed that way pretty much through out, a style that I like. Only a few times did it slow and bunch. This though would provide the problem. On the third of fourth lap to go the pack bunched up on the back side by the dip(think upside-down speed bump) and somehow the rider next to me's bike went out from underneath him. I imagine that the bump caused his weight to get off the saddle and someone touched his rear wheel. This then spread though out the group, ultimately taking out half of the racers. With everyone in the front turning to look back at the crash while going fast in to the turn, I kept my head forward and yelled at people to do the same. It was easy to tell the riders still up were now a touch shaky and had stopped with the unnecessary tapping and rubbings. Soon enough we were on the bell lap and it was fast. I found myself a touch further back then I wanted coming into the final turns. That left me sprinting for 11th. So as barometer goes, I was planning for top half and got top 1/6.
The next race was a 4/5's and proceeded to be my dumb mistake. It started the same as the 4's race, fast to shred as many 5's. The team did a good job keeping the pace high. Coming into the finally turn on the 7th lap to go, I was pushed into the gutter(there was a lot of gutter ball going on in this race). This caused me to think I had flatted, so I went straight instead of turning in order not to sharply turn on a flat wheel. As I got back to the line to get a spare and free lap I find out that I was not flat. Thus began 6 laps of chasing, I lapped a ton of riders, and slowly caught some people of the back. but ultimately I finished way down.
The last race was a new one for me, Fox River Grove Crit of Hill Repeats. This wasn't my race. I went in knowing that I was going to be just surviving not winning. I was ready to drop prior to the start. But going up the hill each time and having four different groups(Tati's, CCC, and xXx, and Grayson) cheering me on meant a lot and caused me not to quit. In the end I finished and got 35th. Higher then I expected and almost within my overall goals.
The final race was from FRG to Berwyn for a BBQ at Pete's. It only took the metra, a bike ride, the CTA, and another ride but we got there and had a great time. It was a great way to cap a nice weekend.
*Those two previous times the answers were yes.