Nationals for the Elite

Every year you can count on all the best riders to be at this race. At least for the Elite men. Cause if you win this race you get a Pro deal for the next year. It is pretty much expected. So you got guys from every where in the US except from Hawaii, and Alaska. You have guys who have raced Pro there whole life and want to try and go back to Pro or just want to see if they still have it. The Best of the Best are always there. For some reason I thought I had a chance this year, I really did. 20 pounds lighter than all of last year and stronger than ever before. 170 other riders may have thought the same thing, at least that's how many went to the line today in the hard rain that was expected for a week's time. I looked at the forecast everyday for the whole week before wishing it was going to be dry. I would have done so much better if it would have been dry. Every turn slowed me down being a bigger guy than 90 percent of the field. I still think when you sign up for a race they should have how much you weigh beside your age. It sure would make me feel better. I would have found it hard to believe if anyone that finished was more than 190 pounds even if they were 6'4. So today I stayed in the front to middle a lot today. With 33 laps to go Becky said I moved up to the front half of the field and stayed there. It is pretty easy to see yellow even in a down pour she said. Well God really kept me safe today, He gave me the wisdom to stay on the inside of every turn and the speed I should go in every turn. I read a couple of racers blogs and they said that everybody wrecked. Well that seemed to be true all day every lap. I know that not every one wrecked. I was one that was very blessed not to go down. My ex teammates hit the road hard and some of them broke bones or didn't hit the pavement and got 6 stitches. Sorry to see Hekman in the 2nd to last corner go down, he ended up with a broken heel. I pray he will recover better than last year, which when he does not even a Pro will hang onto his wheel. So in the last 15 laps I am really setting myself up for a great result like I thought could happen. I was in the top 10 relaxing from lap 10 to 5. With 4 to go I noticed I may not have it and with two to go I thought I could do it cause with 3 to go it hurt bad. But with one lap to go I knew I would have to wait another year to have a chance. All through the last 5 laps Paul was on the front pushing the pace for Kirk. Paul brought back a break of 5 riders and I bet he did it by himself, it wouldn't surprise me. So after the race I was OK with losing 240 bucks total for the whole trip cause it could have been the hospital for me and more money to repair my bike or whatever. I pray that all the riders will heal up and race again soon and bring it next year cause I hope to there and be ready, really ready. God willing.