By Chris Latsch -- Merced Crit (M35+) -- 02/27/10
What do you mean you ride through an alley sandwiched between a bunch of other riders and a concrete wall? Could it be, a USA Cycling sanction Alley Cat Race? Alas no just an interesting twist on a Crit course.
I had originally planned to race the Snelling road race and not race the Merced crits. All that changed when my upgrade to Cat 4 was denied due to a change in how upgrade points are awarded for the Early Bird Clinics. I needed three points for my upgrade so my new plan was to race Snelling, this being my primary focus, and do two races at Merced.
I drove down friday night. On the drive down my stomach began to cramp and I started to become nauseous, a special gift from my wife and daughter who earlier in the week had a stomach bug. I arrived at my hotel proud that I had not vomited on my drive down. Boy was that a fleeting moment, the moment I stepped out of my car and I began to reenact the pie eating scene from Stand Bye Me. After thoroughly emptying the contents of my stomach, I checked in and made my way to my room knowing it was going to be a long night. The next morning I arrived at the race having eaten next to nothing and my stomach still cramping. Needless to say I had nothing for this race, my plan was to just hang with the pack as long as I could. Thanks to the pack being the slowest pack I have ever ridden with I was able to stay with them until I flatted on the last lap. After the race I was able to eat a little at the BBQ that Johnny and Metromint provided but my stomach was still cramping. After a good nap I awoke to a very hungry tummy and nothing goes better with a hungry tummy than a turkey dinner. I finished dinner and back to bed.
I woke the next morning, still not feeling 100%, ate breakfast and made my way to the races. I had two races that day back to back, all I wanted to do was just finish. I warmed up and got ready to race, because they were running behind they would not allow us to do a warm-up lap. I took the first few laps to learn the course and check in with my self to see how I was feeling. To my surprise I felt good and did not feel like I was working hard. On lap 11 they announced the next lap was a preem lap, I have never won a preem so I decided to go for it. On the backside of the course I noticed a rider who I felt was strong move to the front of the pack and put in an attack. I hopped onto his wheel and we pressed on, I soon came to find out the racer I thought was strong was not as strong as I thought, about 75 feet into our attack he died. I looked over my shoulder and saw no one was trying to chase me down so I continued on. As I exited the alley I could see the tail end of the pack entering the alley. I rounded the turn onto the finishing straight and pressed on, crossing the line first and winning my first ever preem. Yahoo!!!!! now to be swallowed up by the pack and be pack fodder for the rest of the race.
A wise man once told me a good place to attack is right after a preem. Hhhhhhmmmmm I don't feel like I am working that hard, let's make them catch me. So I keep going, figuring in a few laps I would be swallowed up. As the laps ticked by I check over my shoulder to see how close the pack was and each time I was amazed that they were not right on top of me. Each time I crossed the finish I could hear cheers from the crowd and barbaric cries from my teammates empowering me to push on. I crossed the line with six laps to go and made up my mind that no matter what the pack was not going to catch me. The next three laps were a blur, pedal pedal pedal keep the power up, good lines, keep small. I crossed the line with three laps to go and i was just about to enter into turn one and I hear Mark cry out clear as day "GO CHRIS YOU CAN DO THIS", Thanks brother, that cry added new life into my legs. The next lap flew by, two to go, legs beginning to burn quick look over shoulder pack not there. Cross the line ONE to go, this is it I will not let the pack catch me I push hard across the backside of the course. Here it is the finial corner the home stretch, everything you got son pedal pedal pedal legs burning pedal pedal pedal lungs burning pedal pedal pedal. Put your hands up winner!!!!!!!!!!!!! My first solo flier ever!!!!
I could not have done this without the support of my team. Thank You
Oh yeah my second race which was right after this one I cracked, more like shattered with four laps to go.