Road Race State Champ and WORS #3

Last week Sunday was the Wisconsin Road Race State Championships.  I raced the 4/5’s last year and won.  So I decided to try and make it a repeat in a Cat higher.  Mission Accomplished!      Cat 3 Wisconsin Road Race State Champion and I have to say this ride has got something to do with it!

This past Sunday was WORS race #3 in Wausau WI, The Trek Big Ring Classic.  After racing very well in the State Champs and feeling amazing on my mid-week intensity ride I had high hopes going in and thought a win was well within reach. 

Here is a great pic of the Pro/Cat 1 start from Amy Dykema.  Spectators were out in full force!

Here is my post-race interview which gives a good play-by-play race re-cap

So 5th on the day and depending on how things play out in the series maybe a keeper in the series points.  I will need to do better than that to keep up in the series with Brian and Tristan though.

I saw the allergist mid-week and he warned me the pollen count was going to be very high and even sent a refill of my preventative meds over to the local Walgreens.  Should have gotten them as I ran out of the Anti-Inflammatory Saturday night!  I have grown so accustom to not having reactions since receiving these treatments that I just took it for granted and thought “just don’t panic” all would be ok, how bad could it be right?  WRONG, I once again understand why asthma and allergies are for real and have learned a valuable lesson to take every precaution against them.  I even thought about going to the local Walgreens in Wausau to see if they could transfer from Oconomowoc, should have tried.

I still had a good race though, but was pretty confounded every time I went to push the pace at the front or tried to keep up with attacks. I found every effort well below what I have been doing lately.  But I should have things in order for Subaru Cup.

After the race I stood and talked for a minute or so and then tried pedaling again, instantly I knew my knee was much worse then I had thought it was during the race.  My own diagnosis is “really bad bruise”, but this is on the knee cap, which can really slow you down with all the dependence on bending and stuff.  So ice, elevation, and easy rides/movement have been in order the last 2 days.

This pic does not do the knee justice, but you can see it.  Now if I can only figure out how to be in this position at the finish line, I might actually win a race one of these days…just kidding…kinda...  Med tent said I had a puncture, laceration, and abrasion.  It swelled a bit yesterday.

 

It is starting to come around though and some hard efforts are in order tomorrow before the toss up between TOAD and The Southern Kettles WEMS race, leaning toward Kettles, my mountain bike misses me I think.  Been lacking the Force lately.

Thanks for reading,

Nathan

Photo Credit: Amy Dykema, Niki Frazier