Tail Gunner

Yesterday represented the my 1st anniversary back racing. And I did it in style, herding the 1/pro field like a boarder collie nipping the heals of the young bucks (some old ones, as well) in Visalia. My tongue was hanging like a boarder collie, too.

You know, now that I'm old, it is kinda fun to do a couple of races in a day, but why do they have the be the kind of races that, well, I really don't get too excited about. Oh sure, going fast is fun; however trying to keep my fat head up as I beat across the pavement for a couple of hours kinda hurts. But okay, it is still kinda fun. Plus, I'll have to miss my favorite road race next weekend due to a commitment to present at a professional conference--even though I've given my walking papers to the profession (Adios Academy will be the next post), so I may as well get in the abuse while I can.

It was encouraging, though, to be able to hang in the 1/pro race. It was damn quick. And to be honest, I was not a player the last time I did the 1/pro race in Visalia, when I was too young to go for the double dose. However, we did have the road race in Exeter to zap the legs. And the last time I did that in 94, our average speed was the same for the road race as it was for the crit. 90 miles at 29 mph hanging on to the Silver Bullet train. Good times, but past times. Yesterday I called on some memory, and I leaned heavy on making sure that I did not waste any energy, unlike some around me racing for 80th place. That was probably me, though, many years ago. Ah youth.

Unfortunately, the race day ended on a low note. Trish Bell, pardon the pun, rang her bell in the spill on the last lap of the women's race. She had no recollection of what happened, and kept asking the same questions, "did I wreck? was it the last lap?" as though she had not asked them. I'd seen this before after a big pileup in Lawrence KS. I kept on telling my friend, Mike, to sit down as he had a huge lump the color and size of a tomato on his forehead. He kept on saying, "no, I did not wreck, I did not hit my head." He could not remember me telling him time and time again. Luckily, no long term damage, for either Trish or Mike, but scary stuff nonetheless.

So, two weeks off from the racing. There'll be a trip to San Diego to give the finger to the political science profession, while providing some professional training to a couple of students. There'll be a trip to Burlingame to get acclimated to my new job (more in Adios Academy). There might be some training too, cuz Orosi is coming up, and that was my first road race back last year. Road racing, not the crit circle dance, is what I am in it for. And, I just can't let some skinny, dark skinned sprinter win this year.