We started off Sunday morning after a night of rain and a cold front. The first four miles were a neutral roll out. After that, we continued on at a fairly easy pace - it was a long way to go, and nobody wanted to burn themselves out in the first half. I found myself on the front a few times but did my best not to stay there long. We hit the first gravel section around mile twenty-five, and as I expected, the group split. This was my element, so I found myself in the fast group. I was having a lot of fun sliding in the mud, trying to pick the fastest lines.
When we hit pavement again, the pace started to ramp up. I was keeping up fairly well, but it was challenging. Racing in a big group is about like driving on the interstate in a medium sized city during rush hour. Just as motorists aren't really taught how to drive and only act in their own self-interest, so it goes with road bike racing. It's mentally exhausting to constantly watch everyone else to know when to accelerate and brake, while avoiding debris and always anticipating a crash.
Around mile fifty-five someone tried to coordinate a pee break. There seemed to be a general consensus within the group; however, only six of us stopped. It was so worth it, though, as we watched the rest of the group ride off. Block House Hill was coming up in ten miles, and I expected to catch up with at least part of the group there. Block House is a three-hundred foot, dirt road climb. It turned out not to be as bad as it sounds. I did catch several racers walking up the hill, but the main group was gone.
From then on, I was mostly riding solo. Other riders came and went. I worked with some of them for a few miles, but no team work lasted. I hit the third gravel section around mile eighty-five and finally realized how tired I was. This section contained several short steep hills - a few of them I walked. I started eating all the food I had left to counter-act my exhaustion. The last twenty-five miles were definitely the most challenging, but also the most enjoyable as I had the whole road to myself. Most roadies seem to hate riding solo. I guess it's slightly more work and/or slightly slower at times, but riding in a group takes too much concentration. Riding solo, I was free to admire the oak trees, Spanish moss, old houses, and rolling grassy fields.
I finished in just under six hours, decently tired but in a good mood. I would consider doing it again, especially if I had a more suitable bike. For the most part, my road bike handled fine in the dirt and gravel. It was the mud that gave me trouble. The very limited space between the tires and frame would get clogged producing significant drag on the wheels and hindering braking performance.
It was indeed a challenging road race, but it was still just a road race. It pales in comparison to endurance mountain bike races. I'm still unsure about road races in general. Riding in such a big group is nerve-racking and usually the least fun part of the weekend. Just as I don't care for night clubs or large crowds in general, I don't really care for pacelines or pack riding. Cycling is freedom, and riding in a big group takes away that freedom. Even club rides usually have someone telling you where/how to ride. Road racing just doesn't excite me like good singletrack does. It is good training though, and the first mountain bike race of the year is next weekend: Tuffburg!
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