Masters 45+

55 degrees, 6 × 7 mile laps perfect race conditions. I talk with Bill Holms for a few minutes before the race.

I line up mid pak and at 9:20 we are off. 200 yards down the road I am in last place. Even stranger than that I have been felt up by 3 different guys as they past me over the double yellow. Whats the deal with the pat on the ass?
Anyways the pace seems quite subdued for the few laps. I am at the back on the decents and in the first 1/2 up the hills.

Lap 3 we hit the hill and the guy next to me gets up to stand and sway. Why would you need to stand and sway up a big ring hill is beyond me, espeacially mid pak. He touched whells and falls away from me into 3 other guys to the right. I thought masters were supposed to be smarter than that.

On the 5th lap I decide that hugging the yellow is not going to move me up so I play with going up the right side which seems to work as smart people want to aviod the pot holes, sand and glass near the edge of the road. I am feeling great.

On the last lap I near the front going up the hill on 138 and end up near the back on the decent. On the right hander I am able to sprint to about half way up and I start to move right. A NEBC guy in full TT garb including the helmet and solid disk is out front move of the lap. I see Ray a COD guy take a flyer at the base of the hill and I am stuck behind a 6 ft 4 guy on the right hand side. We swallow Ray and lurch cracks and I am now the guy in front on the right 600 metters from the end. The train comes on the left side and I swing over to catch it but am too late and end up 15th or so in the sprint.

Like Dave said last week 15th is ok but a shame when you actually feel really good.

Race average spped 25.6 MPH