Here is the Strava Activity: / strava
2nd Lap Attack up Harlem Hill: 23:03
Race End (Horse Alley to Engineer's Gate): 1:01:25
My thoughts from Strava:
The race ended in a pack finish with meaningful separation. I think I got 13th or something close to it. The Engineer's gate finish was different (like...I know this is a trite statement...but like..."different" meant that finish strategies deployed would be different from what was deployed in earlier weeks).
I "went" (if you can call it that) early up cat hill on the last lap and it got me nowhere 😂😂😂.
I was more scared than usual going through the Lasker descent. I tried to be the farthest thing from sketchy on the curve. I never braked but I lost several wheels on each lap - part of that was a belief that it would slow down significantly on the hill (it did) and that there wouldn't be any attacks that stuck (There were two:
1. the race winner on lap one he iTTd the rest of the race without any blocking and won 😳 and
2. A top 10 finisher on a gravel bike on lap 2 - we brought him back...(sooo I was halfway right).
I was really happy today. I feel like I did a better job conserving energy than in previous races - so I'm sure that dynamic is part of it. But...like...I don't take the opportunity to do stuff like this for granted. All of us have a modicum of health, strength and bonding over having fun together on our bikes. Also - NO CRASHES! If all these things aren't reason enough to smile - I don't know what is! 🙂
I don't think that I believe in myself yet, tho 😐. I feel like I could have finished stronger than I did, but something held me back. I'll figure it out soon. Onward.