Brooks RR
by Eddie O'Dea aka "Eddie O"

Date: March 12, 2005
Race: Competitive Cat. 4/5

I did my first USCF sactioned road race this weekend. Wow, it's like crack and I'm addicted. I got into the Cat 4/5 race which was about 50 miles. For the first 3/4ths I sat in the middle and avoided the knuckle heads who seemed intent on crashing. At about 6 miles to we took a hard left turn and someone lost it, slowing up most of the pack. About 8 riders opened up a gap of a few seconds. I bridged up and tried to get some organization going, but everyone just stared at each other. I yelled "Pace line guys,
pace line." I heard in response "Why? We can make it any way?" OK, back to the peloton then. I wasted no more energy on that move. It did get me to the front though. With about 3 miles to go I was sitting perfectly with 2 or 3 guys in front of me. Near enough to the front to be away from the carnage behind, close enough to do something when the time came, yet still out of the wind. I had ridden the final 3k just before the start to be similar with it all. At 2k to go there was a couple guys up the road a few
seconds, but you could tell they weren't going anywhere but backwards. I jumped out and no one followed. There were two turns in the last 1k, not real tight where you had to slow, but sharp enough you could be out of sight for a few seconds. I opened a 5 second gap and rode a hard tempo into the first turn and jumped a little, then made the second turn into the final straight-away. It was a slight rise into the finish line. I looked back and saw the group round the final corner behind me and I launched into a sprint like it was a pack of rabid dogs back there. Just as I did I saw the 200 meter sign...oops...now I have to hold this to the
finish. Turning those cranks with every fiber in my body....rocking....using everything I had......20 feet to go ....3 more pedal strokes and it's all over....someone passes me, then another and another...I don't know how many got by before I rolled over the line, I
was too cross-eyed from the effort. That was the most fun I've had in a long time. What a rush!