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Last weekend I joined several other people from Memphis Velo and Memphis Motor Works at the Tour de Heart over in Marion, Ark. This is a pretty low key event, with the format (all racers in one field) making the first couple of miles interesting… The course is very very flat. The biggest challenge was the wind whipping over the farm fields.

The first 16 mile lap was uneventful for the most part. Somewhere near the middle of the 1st lap, I rolled off the front a little bit. I stayed out there for a few miles hoping for someone to jump across. No one did, so I dropped back to re-integrate since I had no interest in a 20 mile solo in the wind at this time of year.

At the start of the 2nd lap the eventual winner slipped away on his TT rig. This race is not USCF / USAC so there are no restrictions like that. The pace started to pick up in spurts. I went to the back of the field to see how many were left (a technique I would never recommend). Around mile 20 or so the field strung out with me on the wrong side of it. I didn’t want to just throw in the towel so I bridged up to the field (a hard 5 minute bridge) towing a handful of riders back up.

Fast forward a bit later and the field splinters again. I was caught out behind some riders and ended up getting gapped. I chased and chased solo for the last 6-7 miles but ended up behind the field and just 30 seconds ahead of the chase group behind of 5 or so riders. I ended up 12th. All in all a good workout but a poorly executed race on my part. I don’t think I was treating it seriously enough (which is to say I was treating it like a group ride).

Andrea ended up the first women in the race finishing up with the group that was just behind me. The winner of the race was MMW’s David Lacek who rode nearly the whole last lap solo out in the wind ahead of 10 in the main field at the end.

Anyway, time to talk about some real racing. I plan to race one or both of the races this weekend up in Jackson, Tenn. Jackson Spokes are putting on cyclocross races this weekend. Last weekend I took my cross bike out on the white & yellow trail at stanky creek after the Tour de Heart. My skills are still there and had no trouble with the trail itself, hurdling large logs barrier style, and running up embankments with my bike. I am about as ready as I can be while still focusing my off-season on road performance next year.