Patriots Trail Road Race

After the gut check of getting dropped yesterday at the RH crit, I set the very real--and sobering--goal of not getting dropped today.  That didn't work out too well and so much for setting goals. I rode well.  I stayed in the front, but never on it.  Not being a good climber, I put myself near the front at the start of the hills so that as I drifted back I could still be with the bunch. You can only do that so many times.  I popped after an attack in a string of hills a little over an hour.

I'm really bummed.  

Based on threshold, I'm stronger than I was last year but I've just started working on intensity.  I hate that I tore my hamstring and that put me off the bike for a month.  I also have something going on in my Bottom Bracket and I'm doubting the efficacy of Ceramic BBs for sprinters.  

The thing that sucks about being on strict a training plan.  If you stick to it you'll get dropped on the first few races.   You'll get dropped on the local group ride when the pace picks up and you run into a hill.  It was the same as last year.  I can bet you money now that I've started on the intensity work that I won't be dropped in Charleston.  But it's still very humbling.