therhodeo

Good stuff.

McTufferton

I got spit out the back of the pack in a crit earlier this year. Kept pedaling. And pedaling. Hooked up with another guy up the road; then there were two. Kept pedaling. We hooked up with another guy; then there were three. Found a couple more guys, we kept pedaling hard and kept doing laps until we eventually caught back onto the pack with 4 or 5 laps to go. Recovered as quickly as I could, got myself into position for the sprint and took 5th. I had resigned myself at one point to "racing" for 30th+ place and left that day with a decent finish, upgrade points and cash.

McTufferton

Oh... Tulsa Tough, Crybaby Hill. 1/2 race. By the time we race, the course/hill is PACKED, people are drunk and the fans are rowdy, we race right before the pros and the spectators are into it. After the race, as you circle back around and up Crybaby Hill, the spectators are giving hi-fives, handing up beers, congratulations, etc. Pretty rad. 50th place never felt so pro.

mattm

Awesome, McTuff!!

waterrockets 

+1 very cool

zitter

all the videos i've seen of the tulsa tough look super cool. i'd like to do that race someday

therhodeo

Its a really cool thing for the city. Theres actually a pretty serious cycling community here. Just be acclimated to some heat and humidity if you do come.

caloso

This was me at Snelling this year. Our Whiz Kid got 2d, so it technically did not involve winning, but it was his first podium as a Cat 3 and he's been killing it all year. What made it personally rewarding was that last year, I got dropped on the 4th lap and didn't even finish, so to be at the front near the end of the race and affecting the race for my guy was a huge personal achievement.

shovelhd

Coaching a Cat5 clinic.

gsteinb

two years ago at Bethel I saved my teammates second place podium while in the leader's jersey, by chasing down and containing the would be suitors for that step. He was greatly out gunned. I even led the guys I was containing out for primes while we were off the front, since I felt bad I wouldn't let them get free. well known and storied racers.

favorite memory is my best mate covering a first lap break and single handily shutting the race down for him to win out of a two man break and then taking the field sprint for third. pissing spring rain hard man's race.

another was my teammate slipping off with five to go at a big crit while guys watched me for the field sprint. I got pipped at the line, but he soloed in for the victory.

I have a lot of favorite memories that don't involve me winning. my best team has other guys winning than me. when guys don't know which one of you is going to beat them it always makes for a stronger team.

The damage racer ex and I could do to 45+ fields is really immeasurable.

mattm

Most rewarding thing I ever did in a race that didn't involve winning? My first race. (Seward Park in Seattle)

In April of 2009 I finally lined up and it was so much f-ing fun!! Probably one of the hardest races I've ever done, somehow finished mid-pack.

It was only 25 minutes long but it felt like an hour.

McTufferton

Good one; same here. I was hooked after my first race in 2009. I had no idea what I was doing except for what I had read on BikeForums. I set 3 rules for myself to follow that day... stay off the front if possible, stay in the top 10, and stay patient if/when it comes to the sprint. I did what I set out to do that day and got 2nd.

I also remember watching the 1/2 field that day and wondering how the hell they race that hard for 70 minutes. I nearly died doing 30.

shovelhd

Now that there is downright scary.

McTufferton

There's gold in them thar threads...