Last night’s racing was fun. The course was a pseudo-figure eight that kept everyone on their toes. I felt much more comfortable in the pack than in the Sunny King and Roswell races (though I had few close calls and did throw a couple of elbow “nudges” to some riders who got a little too close for comfort). I am finally getting more comfortable with riding in a pack of fast riders and moving up within the pack. With (relative) ease, I stayed about 1/2 to 2/3 of the way back in the pack. I even managed to find my way up front a few times :)

During the final laps, I was doing ok until the pace quickened and riders started to get gapped. As the field strung out, and I moved past the dropping riders, I realized I could hear the moto behind me… a sure sign of being in the back of the group! So, as I finished in 33rd place (out of 58 starters) this race ended up being another learning experience. However, as a fun side note, I was 8th place of the other category 2 riders.

I’ve got a couple more chances this weekend to continue making improvements. Realistically, I’ve got to get stronger and faster before I can expect to get in the top 10 finishers- something that just takes time and training.