The third and final week of the "spring classics" for me. Legs sore, body tired, and sense keen for the Eden Road Race, knowing that coming across the finish line affords a much needed week off of travel and racing. To allow my body to catch up to and adapt to the stress of training and racing that has been placed on it since the beginning of November with all those base miles and work outs on the CycleOps Fluid 2 trainer when the snow made travel difficult if not treacherous and the mercury dipped into the single digits and below (those are Fahrenheit degrees).
As we approach Great Falls, MT, the home and start of the Eden Road Race we are afforded a brief insight into what the day will hold with hitting a major detour in the road which draws us 20 additional miles and 30 minutes of travel. However, knowing that the detour is traveling into similar terrain and direction of what the race will proceed, I keep an open mind to see what the surrounding grades are like and how the road rolls and moves, almost as fluid as the creeks and rivers that bisect the landscape. Studying the course profile on the race flyer, while about the same as experiencing a prime dining location by reading the menu, gives the indication that there will be some climbing today, however from seeing the profile from many of my training rides I know they can make the course look deceptively steep, so I am comforted in knowing that, while there will be some climbing, it probably will just be a "steady, gradual grade." "Lord, thank you for the opportunity to spend this day in Your beautiful creation, riding and racing bikes, and thank You that there seems to be no wind!!! Father, You are the amazing God!!!"
Upon arrival at the start, business sets in. First it is to get signed in, and out of curiosity see how many CAT 4 racers are singed in and expected for today. At that point I am the only one with 5 to 7 expected to show. "Lord, I know we need at least 5 racers in my category for upgrade points to be awarded, please give me peace about this, I know You are in control. Thank You." Then it is off to get the bike set. Today is the first day that I will be racing my new bike. A BMC SLC01 ProMachine with a full Sram Red gruppo, carbon bars and stem, rounded out with the Enve 65mm wheels that came through CycleOps and has a PowerTap G3 rear hub. All together it weighs in a little over 15 lbs, which for a 61mm frame I am quite pleased with. Having it built and fitted the previous week at the Spoke Shop in Billings, MT, and about a 120 miles put on it over the previous week, I was more than ready to see how it would perform in a race. "Thank You Jesus for the opportunity to ride and race a professional level bike, I know it is completely by Your hand that I am here today!!!"
After a good warm up on the trainer it is off to the road for a few different warm up drills that I had gotten from my coach at the Flamme Rouge website. Feeling that "just a little bit of burn" to let me know I am firing on all 8 cylinders and that everything is primed for a great race. With building anticipation as the night greets the morning sun, I come up to the start line. "Thank You Lord for today, that You did provide 5 racers in my category, today is Yours."
With that the group of Cat 4 and 5 riders, about 15 of us in total, depart the start line and begin the gentle cruse up the Missouri river. Nothing exciting, no show boating, yet it is pretty clear who the players for the day are right out of the gate. The 5 Cat 4 racers and 4 of the Cat 5's are keeping a good tempo and all taking turns in the front. Five miles in the course takes a sudden departure from the Missouri river and begins to climb into the high and rolling prairie at the base of the Little Belt Mountains.
The first attack thrown is not by rider but by the road with an abrupt change in grade from gradual to work. The peleton feels the pull as we are gradually stretched to the point where there is a break. Without looking back, the hill subsides having done its work and gives a just reward, howbeit short to those who faced the challenge and did not back down. Soon this is learned as the nature of this race, good climb, short descent, good climb, short descent and thankfully almost no wind "Thank you Jesus."
And then it happens, while sitting 2 wheels back on one of the longer climbs, someone goes for it, legs wound up as a snake ready to strike its prey. The first real attack is launched. Knowing that it is better to join and hang his wheel than to try and bridge the gap later, a quick drop of a gear crisply shifting into place on the new Sram Red rear derailleur, an explosion in the cadence and the 15 meters are quickly consumed as fodder for the road. The sound of labored exhales, quickening breaths desperately cling to my ear as the peleton's grasp on the break begins to fail. "Only a few minutes, just like all those hours on the trainer this winter, just like the CycleOps fluid 2 trainer, you beat that this winter, beat this break now!!!"
After a duration perceived to occupy more time than in reality a bend in the road affords a quick glance and the knowledge that a break is truly established with myself and the attacker, Jesse. "Thank you Jesus, to You be the Glory!!" A brief discussion yields a plan of 30 second pulls to build a more sustainable gap, with the concerted efforts being in the down hills while still maintaining an aggressive pace on the up hills. Each time I take my turn, there is a strong focus on the not just maintaining a good pace and not relaxing but trying to push, knowing that in a few brief moments I will be back in the slip stream enjoying the pace that was just established with significant less resistance. As the miles are pressed out under the narrow band of contact of tire and road we find ourselves not just climbing but of the sensation of reaching for the sun. For in the high Montana prairie there is no cover, no protection from the source of visible light radiated from the sun (Christ Jesus being the true Light of the World!!!). Yet without so much as an acknowledgement of climb well down the road falls away on an earthward plunge ever accelerating us away from heavenly loft that the final climb had deposited us on. "Enjoy it now, we are going to be climbing back up this in just a few short minutes."
Again I find myself thanking the Lord for the ignorance of not scouting the course more than a course profile. For the intimidation of a hill of this nature, an average grade of 4 climbing to well over 6 percent for a duration just shy of 4 miles, quite possibly could have done me in. At the bottom after an all to short of a run out, is a cone with a course official directing us that we are at the first turn around and time for the suffering to truly begin!!! Yet as we engage the initial battlements of the climb we pass the 1st chase group about 35 to 40 seconds up the road. This I know is encouraging but no cause to let off, as this tempest before me will need to be scaled not once but twice!!! As the grade begins to come as an onslaught against my legs in the form of lactate build up, causes a scream for reprieve. Yet, rounding a slight bend brings a view of the top and a fresh wave of hope and renewed strength washes over me and by the Grace of God carries me to the top. A breath is allowed but the pace is not lightened as we mercilessly give back to the road that which it just gave to us, fighting to gain seconds between ourselves and the chase.
Almost as soon as the crest of the hill is a thing of recent history, the second turn around in the course comes and casts us back toward the precipice of the climb. The only relief that is afforded is the descent in which tucking and allowing exerted muscles an opportunity to regain a portion of that which was spent. The six miles from the second turn around to the third and final turn around comes as the a morning alarm after too short of a night. Again it is back to the climb, yet this time with the knowledge of what is to come. Once at the top of this hill the race will be on for who will claim victor of the day, with a gradual rolling descent back to the finish, this climb is not one to loaf or take easy, but to ensure that not only do I not get dropped but to climb strong with the least possible outward show of suffering. About two thirds the way up, a quick drop of the gear, stand up out of the saddle, and continuing to crank through the steepest pitch of the climb brings be to the front of two of us fighting for top podium honors. However, the advantage to being the second wheel is that you have a mental goal of staying with the lead, of not getting dropped. The goal no longer is the top of the climb but rather hanging on the wheel. And true to form this is what happens, while the pace has livened up no gap is established (however in the post race discussion, it turns out that while I thought I was on the brink of not being able to keep up the pace, so was my opponent, "if only I could have dug a little deeper, been willing to suffer a little more...").
Upon cresting again victoriously, not in breaking away, but it gaining the summit, which in itself is no small feet, the race takes yet another turn. I know that in a short 10 miles the uphill sprint to the finish will be upon us and not fully trusting in my ability to win the sprint, an attack to turn the last miles of this endeavour into a time trial is launched. Up and down rollers, blowing through the point where we previously turned around, watching the mile markers on the side of the road slip past. I afford not a look behind, knowing that even that could be the difference between 1st and 2nd. "Lord Jesus, thank you already for the victory of bringing me this far in this place, You are amazing!!! Please carry me through the finish." Passing the "3 mile marker" the road shifts that I can catch a glimpse of a shadow bearing down on my rear wheel. Knowing that at this point pulling away is unlikely at best, a decision is made to pull back on the reigns and allow the legs a few brief moments to recover before the final test of the day. With the slowing come the return of conversation. Talking of family, kids, the race and the finish to come.
Yet without the notice of the passing of time, the 1 Km sign is passed and unspoken we both know it is time to go back to work, we can continue with the conversation after life giving oxygen has returned and refueled the muscles which are about to be used until empty. Desiring to be the second wheel back I fail in my bid, yet still find my final pace. The final 200 meters is a good up hill sprint, about 3.5% and the sight of victory just beyond. Knowing that I can not hold a full sprint for 200 meters on this kind of grade and not wanting to wait to be reactionary to an attack, I launch in at about 125 meters, cranking up the rpm's, getting back on top of the wheel, coming up out of the saddle, not aware of anything else in the world as the sole focus just beyond the finish line consumes all that I can muster, yet the scream of my legs is deafening. With 25 meters to go, truly an imperceivable amount of time and distance in the view of the previous 46 miles, I feel my legs begin to fail, and see the shadow that had been tagging at my side catch and just pass me as we cross the threshold of determining the final victor. "Lord, I wanted to win, but I know You have a plan, and I know I gave it all I could. Thank you for showing me where I need work in my training. And 2nd is still points, so thank You!!! To You be the glory and praise and honor both now and to come. Amen"
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