USCF Crit Natz Pre-Races

Thanks to everyone that helped support my biggest race of the year. Thanks to Ann, Granny, Chris, Becky and Caylin. Thanks to all of our sponsors and of course Savage Hill! Thanks for the Cookie Monster Sticker, Ryan.

Rish and I worked with a couple of breaks, Rish was strong. 120+ with some big name ex-pro's and National Champions. I took 2 or 3 pulls in one of our breaks and that was it more riders kept jumping up to us and I knew to sit in the rest of the day.

25th position or worse, 35+ mph, I jumped after the 3rd to last turn and Hanna's Teammates pulling him. I think it was at least 450 meters from the finish, sounds good anyway. I must have made the other riders nervous when I passed all of them but Hanna. According to other riders there was a gap after that turn but I think it was from Hanna's Teammates on front to let Hanna go because he was clearly the strongest sprinter there. He beat me for a 100 dollar prime earlier with ease and then beat me in the final sprint also. Robbie Ventura made it by me before the last turn and I paused just enough to create a bigger gap for Hanna. I should have kept on going by Hanna when I had the chance.

Thank you Jesus for keeping me safe Today. I Thank you Lord for the times Mr. Sherwood and I spent together. He was a Great Christian Man that always had the answers for me and took time to teach me. He had told me a few times he was ready to go to Heaven. I guess I didn't think to much about it but in the Bible it mentions all the beautiful things we will see when we get there. Now I know that Jim was ready to see again! As we would pass the little Dojo's he would try to see them outside and then he would smile. I can still see that smile today! Thanks Jim!

With races where pros are there I seem to get the same results all the time. My strategy of sitting at the back, trying not to piss people and then moving up when it is nearly to late seems to pay me back with 17th and 18th places consistentley. If you aspire to place between 15-20th places in any race call me, it requires lack of motivation at the start to move up and then a suicidal effort at the very end. I'm not sure if that is a good thing or not.
Anyway good race, and I only got yelled at once. Tim said there where 180 starters, but the start list actually had 219 people on it. That is a lot of dudes in lycra.

PRO Am Cat 1 & 2;

I've never been in such a smooth race. It was amazing, I maybe used my brakes once.

I had a blast in the race, it was fun to finally be racing with mark. The pack consisted of about 180 people, it was longggggg. It was also very hard to move up in the pack, if i ever want to do well in these kind of races I'm going to have to put a lot of work into training and cornering.

Its amazing how well mark has done this year, you can't even tell he broke his collarbone a month ago. The kids an animal.