Now that it's been well over a week since the race I'm going to attempt an update before it gets too late.
WORS #6 Franklin has always been a hard race for myself. To me it seems like there is a little too much single track in any one sitting that twists and turns so hard and fast you never really know where you are or what's coming next much less any passing lanes. If I rode the course more than once or twice a year I'm sure I would have a different perspective on the course but that hasn't been the case until now.
The start is always super crucial for positioning into the single track and can make or break your race in the first 4 minutes. Having this knowledge and some pretty awesome start legs I was able to power my way past my slow 2nd row start position into 4th wheel over the top of the start climb and kept the gas on down the double track along the road. 2 minutes later the 4 of us have a pretty big gap for the start of race and keep the pace high leading into the single track to distance ourselves further. The first two riders gaped us right away and it was too late for me to catch them once I finally got around the dude and into 3rd place. Riding alone for almost an entire lap is a little weird, more mentally than anything else knowing that there are 100 guys behind you somewhere.
At the end of the 1st lap of 3 I was joined by Ryan K. who rides in the same age group and definitely knows how to kill it in a race. I knew he was able to ride the single a little smoother and faster than me so I was leading as long as possible to prolong the inevitable. Ryan went around me somewhere in the middle of the 2nd lap and that was the last time I saw him too. This is the point in the race that I knew I had to start using my skills and put down the power by myself to keep the rest of the field off my back. Knowing exactly where I was in the field my goal of a top 10 overall was mine to lose. I've been gunning for this goal since the first race of the season and have know I'm more than capable of the result and just need to put it all together and ride within myself. Having come so close on a number of occasions I reminded myself that today was the day and I was not going to let it slip now no matter how hard it hurt.
A couple guys were crossing the gap that I had built up with the lap traffic and with a half lap to go I knew it was going to be a battle royal in the last couple miles. Pulls were exchanged once they made contact and I knew I had to lead into the 2nd to last climb all the way up the ski hill before a technical decent, some single and the final monster climb to the finish. I dug pretty deep to get over the top of the climb ahead of the Polska rider with my heart still inside of my chest but beating so hard it was trying to get out! Skills were put to work and gave me a little gap on the decent and through the little bit of single before the last wall of a climb. A quick look over my shoulder at the bottom showed my gap was still there but not a whole lot. Spinning was all the legs could do at this point unless I wanted a complete locking cramp in both legs. With a little over 100 feet to go Polska made contact and gave just enough of an attack that I couldn't cover it. The battle was over and I was rolling in for 8th overall on the day and my first top 10 of the season! Mission (goal) accomplished and just in time for a rest week. A big thanks to Renee Elizabeth for the picture tags from the race.
The rest week is now over and the training has been ramped back up into full swing. The last little push in training is in effect right now before Ore to Shore and the first A race of the season. Before O2S though there is one more WORS race. I'm looking forward to it and hoping to improve on my placing from the last race after some rest. Next stop Camrock, WI.... I hope to see you all there.
