Racing in May

It’s strange the amount of cycling I have done this year compared to the last 2 years. It has taken me 3 years to really understand my body. I have ridden less this year than in years past but with that being said I just noticed I have already done over 400 miles this month. My specific training has been sporadic but I have been commuting to work so when I am on the bike it is very quality stuff. My coach for those first couple of years, Ed Ewing really helped teach me about quality and rest. He built a good foundation in my training and it seems this year it is paying dividends. In March I got my first "W" and then in April I got 2nd in the State Road Race Championship. I wasn't to sure if I could milk the fitness into May and June but I was sure going to try. While I am busy testing my body to the limits and learning how to make it go farther when my mind says no, Lindsay is busy growing a small person in her belly. Strange. It is so fascinating to me to watch the transformation as he grows and feeling his little kicks and punches. He is doing well and Lindsay has been blessed with a decent time so far. Her belly is getting bigger by the day and I find myself always wanting to have my hands on it or my ears to it. So far so good and he will be joining the team in early October.

May:

Ravensdale Road Race 45 miles
This course doesn't really suite me much in regards to the finish. It is a fun course though and I do like it. Coming into the finish it has about a mile long climb or bump depending on who you ask. The race went off without a hitch and coming into the last corner for the finish I was in a decent position and wanted to work for Gabe but we got separated coming out of the corner. He was on the inside and I was on the outside. I got a little lazy and let a few people in front of me and the next thing I knew I was 20 wheels back from the front. I started to sprint and then just sat up as I knew I wasn't going to make up any ground. Just as I talked myself out of sprinting for the finish. A crash happened right in front of me. I just shook my head and slowed down as the person slid across the road in front of me. Sprinting for 20th position is never a good idea and I am glad I sat up. Gabe motored up the inside but was blocked and was able to come in 16th position.
38th position

Mutual of Enumclaw Stage Race:
Stage 1 Time Trial 6 miles I had no intention to do this race but my old teammate Andrew Eisen talked me into it. "Brad you have to do this race. The crit is a lot of fun and would be perfect for you." That is really all the talking into I needed, a technical criterium, I'm there! The Time Trial course was a lot of fun. I suck at Time Trials. I just can't go fast for a long period of time. I accept that. It is what it is.
I finished with a time of 15 min which put me in 23rd place, 30 seconds from 1st.

Stage 2 Criterium
The crit was in the afternoon so I had plenty of time to burn and napped in the car. I got warmed up and headed to the course. The race promoter was driving a nice bright red corvette as our lead car for the first few laps. The course was technical for sure with 9 turns. We took a lap and then lined up for the start.

The pavement was good all the way around the course except for a few manhole covers but other than that it was nice. Coming into the last corner I realized the best line was in the front! It was a one line corner and you actually had to be in position the corner before to set up for the last turn. My plan was quickly formed, be on the front for the last corner. I was going to attempt to move to the front once we got on Cole St. Take the left and the quick right and see what I could do with a long sprint. With a lap to go I was in the top 5 sitting on a couple wheels as we came across the line. The pack slowed down a bit once we got on 1st St. I was just getting ready to move to the front when a junior kid from Canada came flying by. Then Morgan from Apex went by. This was the move and I jumped on Morgan's wheel. I was really licking my chops now. This was exactly what I wanted and I didn't have to do any hard work. Right before we made the left hand turn before the start/finish straight I peeked behind me and we still had a 5 bike length gap on the charging field. The kid was done and Morgan went around him to start his sprint. I sat on Morgan's wheel for a couple seconds then launched. Okay so far, nobody had come around me yet. I could see the line and started to look down to see if I could see any wheels in my peripheral, nothing. I came across the line with about a bike length gap to 2nd place. I let out a yell and found the kid that started it off on the cool down lap and thanked him.
1st Place

Stage 3 Road Race 44 miles
Just as we began to line up it started raining and didn't stop the whole race. There was a climb up Mud Mountain that really hurt. The first time up I was able to catch back on during the decent. The next time up not so much and I popped off the back of the pack and soloed in for a boring/wet race. Climbing still eludes me.
32nd place