Marion Classic

     It was time for more crit. racing to wrap up my June and start July. I put the rubber to the road at the Gateway Tire & Service NashvilleCyclist.com Crit. Series in Nashville. The series runs throughout the summer on Wednesday nights in downtown Nashville at LP Field. It's always cool to race in the shadows of a big stadium and city skyline. Race #4 of the series was my first time out this year. The first 3 races were held too early in the evening for me to make it because I get off work late on Wednesdays. It was a hot day, but a good breeze brought us a tailwind sprint finish. I was excited about that as I just had a feeling it would stay together tonight and we would get a bunch sprint.

    I arrived a whole 15 minutes before the race. I rode maybe 8 minutes before taking to the start line of the Pro/1/2/3. I was worried about the pace and my lack of warm-up. It takes me a while to get going so I figured it would be best that I stay in the back early on. The pace was fast, but nothing compared to Speed Week. My legs have still not forgotten the new level of pain I was introduced to that week. I never had a problem holding the pace and just bided my time. I started moving up after 30 minutes of the 45-minute race. Several breaks went off, but none lasted more than a few laps. NashvilleCyclist.com had a large number of guys and they looked like they wanted to keep things together. Then with 3 laps to go they disappeared off the front and let 4 guys get clear. I wanted to chase, but I didn't want to use up my sprint. It is so hard to be patient when you see the win slipping away. John Carr put in a big attack with 2 laps to go and I went with him, hoping he would take me to half a lap to go so I could launch my sprint. But he ran out of steam with one to go and I was left out in the wind.

The course is in the parking lot of LP Field, home of the NFL's Tennessee Titans

     There were still 3 riders off the front on the final lap. One of them fell off the pace and I pulled him back with 2/3 of a lap left. Then I made a big mistake that cost me the race. I just drafted up to him and didn't go around. I wanted to stay out of the wind, but in hindsight I should've used him as a slingshot. As I slowed down, the surge came by on both sides. I went from second wheel to 12th in one corner. Then I had to lay down my sprint from way back and managed to only get up to 7th. I had a great sprint and felt awesome, but that mistake cost me a top 5 and maybe even a top 3. Jason Tatum was in the break and just held off the pack to get the win. It was a good move at the perfect time. Nice job Tatum. We ended the race with a 25.8 mph average speed.

     The Nashville race was on the Wednesday before July 4 weekend. We had plans to go back to Indiana and visit Shannon's parents again to finalize some more of the wedding plans. South Haven, MI was also on the list of places to go for the weekend to see the fireworks and visit that part of her family. I found a race in Marion, IN on Saturday night. I thought the Marion Classic looked like a small town crit. It had a good payout, but I was not expecting a lot of turnout, especially in the Pro/1/2/3. Boy was I ever wrong! Texas Roadhouse, Bissel, and Jamis all brought their Elite squads. They each had at least 4 super fast riders. Just riding around the course in warm-up it was obvious that this was going to hurt.

Marion Classic Criterium course

Masters race

Masters riders topping the small rise after turn 3

Masters pack chasing a break with just a few laps to go

    The 70-minute crit. began in the late evening on a fairly flat course. There was a slight rise after turn 1 and another into the wind coming out of turn 3. We had over 65 riders and it was aggressive from the start. I didn't have the best start and was outside the top 50 the first few laps. The pace was fast! I couldn't move up at all. It was sprint your guts out after every corner. It doesn't take long for riders to start popping at that kind of pace. The gaps were opening on the third lap. I'm sure there were several Cat. 3s that were shocked by the way this race was going down! The big teams kept trying to establish a break off the front, but nothing was sticking. After 15 minutes I got caught in a gap as riders were popping left and right. I thought I was done, but the group slowed and I got back on.

The Pro/1/2/3 Men rolling off turn 1 in Marion

It was strung out by the 15 minute mark

     One lap later I got caught behind a crash in turn 3 that split the field. I chased hard for 2 laps, but the main break of the day was forming and this time the pace didn't slow down. I finally popped after 22 minutes. I was crushed to have been dropped so early, especially since I had a lot of the Toney family there to give me support. I felt like I made them drive a long way just to see me get smoked and then pulled. But miraculously, I did not get pulled. I was the last rider to be dropped and there were just 30 of us left so they let me stay in. I couldn't believe it! I got lapped and then jumped back in the group.

And he's off!...the back!

     The break off the front had 9 riders in it with all but one of the large teams represented. The pace was slower until they lapped us. Then Texas Roadhouse proceeded to do a 10 lap leadout at 30+ mph. We were rolling up the small climb into the wind at 34 mph for several laps. I was tired, but I hung in there until the end. It was a good opportunity for me to feel the speed of the finish of a big race. Since I tend to be a sprinter, I will definitely have to be able to hold that pace at the end. Bissel picked up the tempo in the final few laps and took over the leadout. The last lap was so fast! I was doing 35 mph down the back stretch and couldn't believe it when I saw that the group I was in was getting gapped. Texas Roadhouse's work was rewarded with the win and also 3rd. Bissel would have to settle for 2nd. I was in the back at the sprint, taking 30th place on the day. I just tried to hang out and stay out of the way since I was lapped. We ended with a 26.6 mph average speed. Not bad for a windy day.

Bissel powers the leadout with a few laps to go.

One lap to go!

Finish video clip

     After the race on Saturday, we got to relax a few days in South Haven, MI and enjoy some fireworks on the beach along Lake Michigan. It was a good show, but I questioned whether it was worth it once we sat in traffic for 2 hours to get home.

Lots of peeps at the beach

Had to throw in a quick pic that had something to do with bikes. Swiftwicks at the beach!

Rocking the iPod as I wait for the fireworks. Yeah, that's the best band ever. Sevendust! And the song is telling you the best way to ride.

The sun sets behind the lighthouse.

The glowing ball sinks into the lake.

I absolutely loved the colors in the sky at sunset.

The fireworks pop over the pier at South Haven.

South Haven 4th of July fireworks

     Monday morning I slipped in a mountain bike ride at Fort Custer Recreation Area in Augusta, MI, which is located between Kalamazoo and Battle Creek. The trails there were nice. It was sandy which ruined a lot of the fast turns, but there were some cool obstacles and features along the loops. The 8.1 mile Red Loop was the best. It was the more advanced trails and had some really cool sections on it.

The sunrise while driving I-94 towards the trail

The GPS view of my ride at the Fort Custer Recreation Area

Doubletrack trails started the Green loop

A rooty section

A log pile along the Green Loop

Singletrack amidst tall weeds

A pond along the Green Loop

The Red Loop at Fort Custer

One of many burmed turns in the early part of the Red Loop

A nice log pile option between the forks of a tree.

A North Shore-style ladder bridge over a downed tree

There was a pond full of lilypads along the Red Loop

     I got in a good 3 hours before it was time to make the long drive back to Tennessee. Shannon got some wedding plans finalized and I got to race and ride in a new place so it was a great trip.