I'm 2 hours post race and waiting for the TT this evening.
WOW! what a blast and I should have started this last year!
I'm a bike racer
40 min warm up, man did I need this.
52 in my group, narrow two lane road with centerline rule in effect. At 0.8 miles in we were hitting 27 MPH, nowhere to go. Couldn't speed up, slow down or move. Big boom announced the wreck as a carbon frame snapped. Bike and riders flew everywhere, I stood on my front brake as the guy in front of me locked up his rear and skidded into the pile. Man did I ever have beginner luck, later a race official on a motor cycle told me I was the first one through in an upright position.
I cleared the wreck and found myself alone with the remainder of the pack fading into the distance. Not much I could do but grind it out. 6 miles in I heard "on your left" and got passed by a bleeding guy with a shredded kit. I got on his wheel and we worked together for several miles. I pulled a bit but truth is he did most of the work. We picked off a couple of blown up folks and he eventually dropped me. I worked this strategy 4 more times with wreck survivors and huffed and puffed to the finish.
Did I mention I'm a bike racer?
I'm so happy to type this.
What I learned:
I've got the right dream, I love this stuff.
I'm still too fat, biggest guy BMI wise in the parking lot, and too slow. But, I now know what I've got to do to fix this and that it's doable. I completely see myself being able to hang with these guys in the future. Age is no excuse, train smart, continue the weight loss, enter every race possible, have fun.
As you folks report over and over, just go try it. Stop over thinking this and go enter a race, duh.
While my bike and gear is as out of place as a Prius at a Formula One race, it just doesn't matter. It's all about the engine.
Nobody cared what I or my stuff look liked. Nobody cared I'm a bit off the pace, they were glad to pull me along as it worked out.
Met a bunch of nice folks and made some new friends.
Now I've got to go true up my rear wheel, it took a hit in the wreck and get ready for the TT. My goal is to blister the 5K course at every bit of 21 MPH
Did I mention I'm a bike racer?