When we got to the course the sun was still just trying to rise above the lake. When we started putting stakes into the ground, they went in so easy I knew it was a good sign for the day. It is a very satsfying feeling putting the race together, knowing that everyone gets to do what they do because you got your butt out of bed to make it happen.

I got a great start going into the first corner in fifth place. Heading into the first set of barriers I could see the long train lining up behind us in the first group to hunt us down. We pushed a pace that didn't seem sadistic, merely terrifying. Through most of the laps (I don't even know how many we did) there was a group of four at the front. The division began to take hold and with it I was left in third place. In between Jacques and another, and first and second place. I dangled in limbo just trying to keep the pace high enough to neither gain nor loose. At the signaling of the bell lap I threw the switch inside. There was no time left to hang out in limbo trying to decide if I would cross the river or not. I lifted the pace and started to see a gap of about eight seconds whittle down to about six. Those last six just clung out of reach for half a lap. Going into the final sections of twists and turns before the final straight I poured everything I had into the pedals. Going into the final turn I went beyond everything, and everything became a blur. Up ahead, I could see second place, and the gap was being eliminated. With every revolution I could feel the finish line and second place getting closer. I closed a 5 second gap in about 150 yards. When I hit the line...that I painted earlier that morning..I missed second by nothing, maybe the difference in height of a knobby tire compared to a semi-slick tire. But when I passed him it was as if he was standing still, it felt like I was going fifteen mph faster than he was. It's to bad, I needed sixteen to hit the line first. Later after talking to him about the finish, he told me that he didn't know it was the bell lap. I learned how important it is to pay attention out there. If you keep your mind right, you can capitalize on the mental mistakes that come so easily at the end of a race.