Rainier Roubaix Today

Rainier Roubaix starts in a mere 5 hours. I am excited and nervous... it'll be a hard race for me because the course suits me and I feel strong. All of which will make it super easy to overcook it. I am in the tweener spot.. strong enough to feel like I can win but not strong enough to ride however I want. Yesterday I raced Independent Valley and rode very well until the wheels came off about 200 meters from the top of Michigan climb. In retrospect I think what killed me was following Russel and Ian when they created a very very small gap about 1K from the foot of the climb. It wasn't much but by going just that little bit too hard there I put my HR over my climbing tempo and effectively made my climb 2.5K instead of 1.5K.

Jonny, Michael, Russell, Ian, Anton.. those guys tend to really sit back 10-20 when they aren't attacking. It's those of us tweeners who end up getting shelled sitting in 1-10.. off the front but in the sidewinds. Would it have made a difference? I don't know.. but I am not Steve Holland able to go with every single move out of brute strength. I just have to learn to chill, or as Jonny would say ride smart.