The Move!

submitted by James Penrod
Ahh!! Racing in your home town. There’s nothing like it. And, as with anyone who has ever performed in front of the home town fans, I wanted to impress them like no other.

THE EVENT:
Sunday’s event would be a road race just outside of Tallahassee where I spent the majority of my formative years, riding my bike, causing trouble, MAKING A NAME FOR MYSELF. The course was hilly, and the field small, but hey!! I grew up here!! I’m a hill climber!! These other chumps don’t stand a chance (not even that tall lanky guy with the orange and grey kit who always stays on the front of the pack).

I got this!!

So, I secretly scoped out the course with my own personal DS/ Massage Therapist (Ms. Veronica Geist). As I suspected, the course was hilly (I think I already said that). I could see where I would make my moves, and where I would break away from the pack.

THE RACE:
The morning of the race, it was a little cool, with rain just on the edge of town, but not reaching us quite yet. It wouldn’t rain all day, but I wasn’t going to let anyone else know that little tidbit of information. We lined up at the start. These chumps don’t understand who I AM!! I’m the birthday BOOYYYYYYEEEE!!!!! We descended the first hill in a tight pack, and climbed the other side. The legs were getting warm, these weapons were ready to fire at any moment. It was hard to keep them in check. We descended the next hill then climbed again, this time I got on the front just to give them a taste of the pain they were about to be inflicted with. That tall lanky dude was right behind me, and it seemed like I couldn’t shake him.

THE MOVE:
Over the next few miles I shot off the front a couple of times just to get my heart rate up and the lactic acid coursing through my legs. I knew that wasn’t going to work. My plan was much more cunning. My plan had NEVER been done before.

As we approached the steepest of the climbs, I knew this was the spot. As I eased gradually back into the pack, resting myself for what was to come, I slowly made my way to the very last position and just as we started to climb, BAM!! I did it. I took them all by total surprise!!

I attacked off the back as they sped up the climb with no response from the peloton. They were afraid to chase backwards!! I did it!! It worked!!

I watched from behind as my lead off the back grew while they climbed this monstrous hill. It was tough, but I had to keep them well ahead of me if my plan was to work.

With the adrenaline coursing through my veins, I soloed around the course for the next lap and a half, making sure no one else was going to explode out of the back of the pack to catch me. I watched as the pack steadily lost site of me from behind.

After almost an hour of solo riding, one rider caught me, and we worked together keeping the main group at bay in front of us, knowing if we started playing games, it would mean the end of what could be the sweetest finish for the two of us.

We came in together in a blaze of glory and the home town fans cheered as we sprinted for the finish.
I LOVE IT WHEN A PLAN COMES TOGETHER.

ps: you won’t see me in the results because they only recorded the first 35 riders, but I was there!!

I was there.


Seriously though, congratulations to those that raced this past weekend. The courses weren’t easy for anyone, although some of you made them look much easier than they really were.

See you chumps next weekend!!