NINE LAPS!

I went to the T-town training crit this afternoon, and I lasted 9 laps of a 30 lap race. Only 21 to go, I'm hoping by the end of the summer I'm able to last the entire race. It may be a bit ambitious, considering it is a Cat 1,2,3,4 race, but we'll see.

On my way to the crit I decided I should stop and get gas while I'm still in Jersey (gas is cheaper in Jersey, at least where I am driving). This proved to add more stress to my evening. You see, I remember getting to the crit with plenty of time for a warm up. In order to get there that early I must have left work really early. I'm driving on 78 about 15 minutes from the velodrome and it is 5:55, the crit starts about 6:10... I'm cutting it close! I pull up to the guy doing registration, throw my hazards on, jump out of the car, and the guy says "I guess getting changed is enough of a warm-up?" Yeah, thanks, fill out the registration form pay the $4 entry fee and the $2 for my number, I have to reuse it or else they charge $3 for a replacment. I jump back in the car drive to a parking space, dam! It is now 6:05. Where are all the parking spaces!?!? Crap!?!?!?!? Pin my number on only with 4 pins, yep, I had a bit of a rookie parachute going. Pump up the tires, shoes helmet, Oh man why does my helmet fit funny?!?!? Oh, there's a CO2 cartridge stuck in my helmet!?!?! Ride over to the start... dam mis-shift! Quick gear adjustment! to the starting line and everyone is lining up, I made it!!! Whew!! What??? GO???

Needless to say, I rode pretty well considering. As I was "cracking" I noticed not many people had been passing me. I thought for sure there would be a ton of people behind me but there wasn't! I wonder how many laps I did as the last wheel?

It was a lot of fun! Next time I'll do better, at least at arriving early, not sure about how I'll ride though...