Category: 4/5
Result: Mid-pack

Holy smokes, it was cold this morning. Before the race started, Casey told us there were a couple of cones on the course because water from the early morning sprinklers had frozen over. Great. He also said there would be two primes for a $5 velodrome coupon.

We started off at a nice slow pace giving everyone time to warm-up. After a couple of laps I headed to the front and helped to pick up the pace. After burying myself for about a 3/4 of a lap I pulled off the front and recuperated in the pack.

Somewhere during the middle of the race I went to front again, but didn't pull. I tried to follow an attack or two, but it seemed like they were swallowed just as soon as they started.

When the bell for the second prime went off, I decided to go for it. I stayed near the front and when a group of about 4/5 guys took off on the backside, I followed them. Coming out of turn 3 they started to fade, so I jumped, kept my head down, and pedaled hard. I ended up winning the prime by 10-50 yards. Unfortunately, Casey also pulled out the 5-to-go at this time.

I tried to recuperate in the pack for the next 3 laps. With 2-to-go I started to move up and was second wheel going into bell-lap behind a guy who had already been pulling for 1/2 lap, and he was almost done. I decided I didn't want to pull the pack around for the last lap. So, when he pulled off after turn 1, I jumped, pulled off and soft- pedaled, waiting for the first part of group to pass me. The strategy being that, if I jumped, they would too and splinter slightly leaving me enough room to find a wheel after I backed off. I think this worked as I was able to merge with the pack and find a wheel, but I was already cooked and drifted toward the back for a pack finish.

This was a pretty fun race. There were no crashes and I won a prime. I also tried to put the hurt on during a couple of my pulls, but probably ended up tiring myself out more than anything.

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