Pre-race planning

I have found myself in an unfamiliar position.  I actually need to develop a plan of attack for Sunday. Sure, in the past I have had some sort of strategy. Such as "don't die" or "ride hard" but that was last year. It worked some times, not so much other times. It worked more times than not because I was racing beginner and on one lap not a lot of things can go wrong. You go out hard, ride as fast as you can for 8-9 miles and you are done.

The Fort Custer Stampede is Sunday. Love the event, love the course, love the friends and family. Last year was nasty because I flatted on my warmup and missed my start. I started almost 3 minutes behind and still managed to take 5th. I took off and just rode hard because it was one lap. This year, I have to do 2 laps. I know the course is about 9.5 miles long....so 2 laps is only 19 miles. I can ride that far no problem. I have raced that far on numerous occasions. Barry Roubaix, Iceman, and Ore to Shore are all over 27 miles long. The problem is....at Barry Roubaix this year I hit a wall at around 16 miles. I started hard and had to just cruise home to the finish. This is where strategy comes in.

Do I start fast and fizzle.....or start medium and torch the finish. Because I know the course, and because I know I cannot compete for a podium finish....I have to ride my own race. I will start quick because I always do, but then I will settle into a pace and just ride it. Knowing the course will be key for me at this race. I know when I can let it rip and burn a few matches towards the end. Hopefully I can pick off a person or two in my class. My main goal is to have consistent laps. I would like for them to be within 2 minutes of each other. I have a time in mind too....but as the 3 of you who actually read this know....I am not going to say what that goal will be. Secret. I just don't want to finish last...and on my second home course of the year I should be able to move a bit higher up the list. Come on out and ride an awesome course and have some fun!


On the weight loss frontier: Things were holding steady for a few weeks. I would drop and then gain and then hold the same and hold the same. I started a new trend and lost 4.5 pounds last week to put me at 245.25. This is the lowest I have been this year and has put my mind in the right place to push into the 230's hopefully in the next two weeks. Feeling good. Keeping busy. Keeping my mind right.

Hope you guys are doing good too! See some of you soon!