I got kinda distracted on the California updates. So there’s that.

Overall, California was good. I got to race with the best bikers in America when they were going damn well, so I guess that’s a good thing. Personally, I rode ok I guess. I had some bad luck here and there (flatted out of San Dimas, crashed out of Redlands), but I think I came out ok.

I thought I’d be a lot more  rested when I got home, but I was really thrashed this week. I’ve had to really take it easy and keep my rides limited to recovery with a little endurance. That was a bit frustrating for sure, but there’s not much to be done about it when my body says no.

The USA ProTour race, the Air Force GP is this weekend. I’m really looking forward to doing UCI race and hopefully doing some good work for the team.

Redlands started today. I rode by far the best wattage I’ve ever pulled off in my life and managed a whopping 106th place. There were 194 starters and this is by FAR the most stacked field I’ve ever seen, so yeah, no shame in that.

In terms of time trials out here, it’s pretty simple. I just go out and try and set a personal best every time. I know for damn sure I can’t get close to the really fast people, but I can compete against myself and my powermeter. I blew the doors off of any effort I’ve ever done around this length with 430 for 11 minutes today.

The TT was super hard, the last mile was wicked steep.

Ben Jacques-Maynes started right behind me. I thought that was pretty funny. I introduced myself. Hi, I’m Jered, I interviewed you for PEZ a few months ago. He gave me a wan smile and proceeded to catch me within two miles of starting. I was pretty happy with that. I kept him within a minute I think though. That was cool.

I think a full on TT setup would have been a big help today. I didn’t have anything but a skinsuit.

I still feel leery about full TT setups. There’s such an obligation to GO fast. There aren’t any excuses if you’re TTd out. Ha.

Tomorrow’s circuit looks utterly insane. 194 riders all vying to get a piece of the front going into the super narrow, winding road heading to the KOM each lap. The rest of the lap is on wide open roads…and it’s normally windy.

It could really be carnageous tomorrow. Yes I know that’s not a word.

I’m tired of typing.

Good night.

San Dimas was an eye opener for me. I rode the best TT of my life and finished like 91st. I rode 408 watts for 15 minutes I think it was. I still lost 2 minutes to Oscar Sevilla AND he had a mechanical part of the way in. Yeah, I don’t think climber is part of my qualifications.

Saturday’s circuit race was crazy tough.  The race never settled down and we were constantly on the gas all day. I had a hard time dealing with the technical, dicey circuit, and the insanity of the field dynamic. It really blew my mind for about an hour. I rode around ghost-like for at least 20 miles. My eyes were bulging out of my head, my mouth agape, I was frightened.

I gradually got used to the fact that there was nothing I could do about the melee all around me, just put my head down, be aware, and hope for the best…and race my bike.

Right around this time, I flatted…in the worst part of the course too. It didn’t really matter where I flatted though. A flat meant gone no matter what. The field usually rolled near 30 on that course, and a flat without a motorpace back on spelled end of day.

I thought my day was over, but then a group caught me from behind and they were howling along. I thought for sure we’d make the 5% time cut. We were 17 strong by the end of the day, but we missed the cut by a minute.

I was pretty down about being time cut. I had been resigned to being time cut after the flat, but then I got in that strong group and we were rolling nicely and I figured that we’d surely make it. I was wrong.

I didn’t go to the crit on Sunday. I just couldn’t watch the race. I was still down at that point. I’m better now. Ha.

I did get some decent PEZ work done. That’s always nice.

The race was the biggest I’d ever done…basically, I just know I need to do a lot more races like this to get used to the pack dynamic. I can’t emphasize that enough, it’s just not natural for me. I’m one of those people that gets scared. That’s about all there is to it. I’ll get over it…because I have to if I want to be a real bike racer. And I do.