We meet again, Berkeley hills.  I hadn’t checked the race registration to see who was racing today, and knowing wouldn’t have really changed anything anyway.  I was expecting the Elite 4′s to be filled.  As a contrast to last year, I showed up a tad earlier and snagged a parking spot a bit closer to the reg booth.  The race started at 7:50, so I had a bit of cushion between getting ready and lining up for the neutral roll out.

After warming up, checking if I had my spare tube, cell phone, keys, wallet, numbers pinned, and bottles filled, I rode over to the line.  Some familiar faces, but a majority of the guys I had never seen before.  Steve (Chica Sexy), Vitaly (SquadraSF), Jeremiah (Webcor), Jake, and a handful of other guys I’m forgetting, were all in the mix.  This year’s goal for the race was to ride as long with the front group.  Last season, I was dropped on the 2nd lap of the race on the backside rollers.  Maybe it’d be different this time around.  With a full field of 60 riders, things were going to be interesting.

Oddly enough, I forgot to start up the Garmin after it turned off from being idle.  So a couple of miles into the race, it kicked on, and thus, the lack of data beforehand.  We’d be racing 52 miles, 2.7 laps, with the finish line on the top of the climb called Papa Bear.  The first couple miles were smooth, no one was nervous yet.  The turn for Castro Ranch road came, and things started heating up a tad.  The change in elevation forced people out of their saddles, and the pace increased.  I was near the back for the majority of the race, not feeling particularly good or bad.  It was hard to say, since this was my first real race of the season.  But as the elevation tumbled towards the rollers on the backside of the course, Alhambra Valley road, it was clear that everyone else was feeling strong.  We hadn’t dropped anyone off the back yet – last season, there were a couple guys being dropped per lap on specific parts of the climbs.  Not this year, though.  I was hanging onto any wheel I could snag.  The pace was quickening and as Mama Bear, the 2nd to final climb, came up for the first time, the sinking feeling of last season hit me.  Everyone’s cadence grew faster.  No one was standing up, yet.  And in a race, this is the point where true riding form shines through.  The majority of the whole group was riding as if they were having the best day of the season – or at least, it sure as hell felt that way.

After cresting the finish line for the first time, I looked back to see who we had dropped.  We had dropped maybe 1 or 2 people, if that, the entire lap.  The field was still huge, and as the fast descent came, it became clear that last season’s finish for me, wouldn’t be too far off.  I snagged wheels and caught back up to the group as the road flattened.  We passed by the entrance to the parking lot – on the second lap, things were more lively.  People were pushing the pace on the initial climbs, and hurtling towards the backside rollers.  I stuck wheels, and made it a point to hang on.  The climbs became increasingly more painful, and the bouts of power were spotty…I should’ve rested more this week, but it was way too late for thinking.  We crossed the finish line for the second time, and again I looked back to see if anyone had been dropped.  Maybe 1-2 people, just like last time, but the field was still massive.  Descending at 40mph with a couple dozen riders is a bit nerve racking, and at multiple points on the descents, guys would be hesitating on their brake levers, grabbing them for a second, and releasing.  But that’s racing for you – you can only control your own bike, everything else is up in the air.

So on the final lap, things were heating up even more.  The pace was being drilled up front as the first climbs came.  I was momentarily dropped as the road flattened out, but caught some of the very last wheels I’d see as we made our way to the backside rollers.  The short descent proved to be too short of a recovery for me, and once the backside hit, I slowly slipped away.  1 lap better than last season, but still dropped, nonetheless.  I was passed by a couple other e4 riders, who were chasing to either catch back on, or just finish the race not dead last.  I was shattered, and as much as I tried to catch any wheels, I knew I wouldn’t be able to pull through for them when the time came.  Solo finish…and hopefully not dead last.  I rode the remaining backside and climbs alone, crossing the finish line ahead of another dropped e4 cyclist.

I’m not going to make any excuses up for myself, or hide from the fact that the field was stronger than me.  I was dropped last year, and I was dropped this year, 1 lap later.  I didn’t flat or crash, and for that, I’m grateful.  I missed racing, there’s nothing else like it.  Maybe next season, I’ll be able to hang on for the entire race.  Maybe.