Kyle and I had toyed with the idea of going to Clear Lake for the Bicycle, Blues, and BBQ races. However, this being the first weekend that I did not have to work since I stared my first rotation, and still having a bitter taste in my mouth from my abysmal showing at the state crit, we decided that long, hard miles near home would be best.
Saturday, we rode out to the state course, did a lap, and then rode back home. I have not felt that tired from a ride in quite sometime. Then, Sunday morning, we got up early for a ride with some of the shop kids. There were 7 of us in all. It was pretty fast paced at time and the pissing contest started earlier in the ride than I had anticipated, but all-in-all we had a great time. We went out Sugarbottom, to Tiffin, then out Cosgrove over to Sharon Center and back in. Another 50+ day.
Since my first rotation started, I have struggled to maintain a riding schedule. I am starting to get back into a groove and this weekend was well spent not racing, but instead getting in valuable training miles. I am pretty excited about the Iowa State Road Race which is coming up in just a couple of weeks. I hope to be in a better place physically and mentally compared to how I was for the State Crit.
Somehow, I managed to be finished with everything yesterday by 4, which meant that I was able to get home in time to make group ride. Since we wind was out of the south we went out of town on Sand Rd. I kind of assumed we were going to Lone Tree, but we turned left and headed east on 520th St. The pace picked up with the cross wind and I was working harder than I wanted to ended up off the back just a little before Wapsi. I was not sure which way the group had gone, so I just turned south back into the wind at Wapsi and headed toward Lone Tree. I suffered alone in the headwind past Lone Tree and eventually made a right turn onto 660th. The wind was now at my back a bit more, so I picked up the pace. I made the left onto Utah and I see a huge group of riders coming at me. I realize that it is the B ride, so I quickly turn around and stick on the back of their ride, so I wouldn't have to ride alone anymore. We make the right turn back onto 660th (the way I just came from) and are almost back to Wapsi when a group of 3 riders turns and starts coming toward us. I realize that it is Hopsin, Fin, and another Mercy rider. As they pass, I decide to turn around again and get in with them. They were moving quite a bit faster than I had anticipated, but I was able to catch just after they turned onto Utah. Hopsin eventually upped the pace, which caused the 4 of us to start a rotation. We rotated solidly pretty much all the way back to 520th. At this point we see the the front 8-10 people or so from the B ride coming down 520th and our group of 4 became a group of 12-14. Amazingly, everyone continued to rotate and we maintained a nice pace all the way back into IC. There was a sprint for some sign, but since it wasn't a town sign or a stop ahead sign, I had no clue what we were sprinting to, so I just rode really hard like Kyle and I always do to the top of the hill. It was a very strange ride, but I had a great time. I hope I can make it out for more group rides in the coming weeks.
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