Did a B race. Started with a neutral lap. I figured I'd be good for the neutral lap. Although most people probably thought I was joking, I was serious.
At the end of the first real lap I realized I wasn't going to make it much further. Eased up, went off the back.
Because it was a nice day and the fast backstretch started after two fun, fast, slightly downhill turns, I did about half a dozen hard jumps out of Turn 2, while off the back. Eased as I got lapped for the bazillionth time so I would get lapped in their sprint so I could officially finish without doing another lap. First time I actually tried to finish a race while off the back.
To quote another much better track racer, "this was the first time I lined up for a race lasting longer than 40s".
For me it was the first time (I think) that I rode outside since Nationals last year, Sept 16th. Felt natural on the bike (I was a bit concerned so I rode around a bit before, and it was fine, as it was last year, etc). Felt good to be outside, to feel the bike rolling on pavement rather than on the roller on the trainer.
Still recovering from a Covid negative cold that I had the prior weekend, so I'm sure that didn't help. I'm still super fatigued today, as I have been since I've had the cold.
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"...during the Lance years, being fit became the No. 1 thing. Totally the only thing. It’s a big part of what we do, but fitness is not the only thing. There’s skills, there’s tactics … there’s all kinds of stuff..." Tim Johnson