Concord Crit - Men's 45+ - 8-4-08
Peter Megdal 1st
Tim Dodd 10th
After a huge crash a decade ago, where I broke my shoulder in 3 spots, I am finally coming back to racing in a real way. My shoulder has healed mostly but recently I have had trouble sleeping from severe pain (a real reminder that racing crits is dangerous and can have permanent disabling effects on the body!!). After my second place at Norwell, I thought it might be worth getting a win but when I showed up for sign-in and saw both the size and quality of the field, I thought that I would be either shelled, wimp out OR pack finish. I have been working heavily on my sprinting for 2 months with Ed Lang (National 65 champion and the best sprinter I know).
Ed has also been coaching me on strategy and “feeling the force” of the race and reading the race (hopefully not in brail). I have been wanted to sprint and try out my newfound power in a real race. Norwell was a solo break for me and I missed opportunities at Wells Ave. also. So maybe now would be the time to hit a good sprint.
But with my first lap in and seeing dangerous turns I got scared. With shoulder hurting, I decided to try a solo break with a sprint for the first prime (a $100 ski bag). At ½ mile to the line, I took off down the dangerous downhill turns to the finish and had 10 seconds in the short distance on the field. Thinking hard at this point, should I maintain this or try to lap the field. I got up to 20 seconds and my heart rate was maxed and then the read the race notion came to mind. STOP and rest or at least coast and let them catch. There was no way I was going to lap the field with at least 3 or 4 former and current national champions and ex-Olympians in the group chasing (amazing what adrenaline can do to “non-thinking” in a race).
I was caught in two laps and relived to sit in for 5 miles. Then prime two was announced. I saw Paul Curley with a 2-second gap just before the first downhill (dangerous) turn. I thought it would be good to be on his wheel but as I bridged my closing speed was high enough to pass him BEFORE the first turn (3 turns to go to the sprint line). Hey, I am getting the hang of this and took him by 20 meters at the line (he must have quit). This time I quit right after the prime and waited.
Sam Morris and three others broke at this point and stayed away for 5 miles. I sat in until the catch with about 6 miles to go. Then I bolted off the front with two other riders. One of whom was super strong (Sunapee) and the other rider not so much.
We maintained a slim 15-second margin until two laps to go (2 miles). The whole pack was only 5 seconds with two laps to go. My break companions were tired and I kept encouraging them to PUSH this is IT.
BELL lap still 5 seconds and bell lap is typically the fastest. I thought we were going to be caught but I was going to make it as hard on them as possible. My two companions died at ½ lap to go and I SPRINTED AWAY.
I thought I could have a heart attack at this point. I was SO TIRED. I thought just make it through the first dangerous turn, (no more injuries – please). I was nailing it and maybe just maybe I can hold the pack off to the line.
The turn came fast, I hit it hard and pushed all the way to the line. The last ½ mile averaged 34 mph with a peak of 36.7 mph.
I finished 20 yards ahead of Paul Curley and company for the win.
This is by far my biggest win ever
Thanks to Tim Dodd for blocking (who blocked and still got 10th in this big race!) and all the screams from NEBCers on the side. AND special thanks to my friend, training partner and coach, Ed Lang.