A good weekend

This weekend was the weekend of racing up here in Duluth. I was not able to do the TT on Saturday, but Sunday I made it for the RR. Instead of being lame and racing the 3/4 race I put all my chips in and went with the 1/2/3 race. It was a good choice.
I guess because I had been sitting in a car for awhile, during the warm up I got some "death cramps," not good. I was really worried they would be there during the race and cause lots of problems for me. However, as the race started the cramps dissipated. I felt them only one time after the warm up in the whole 104 miles. Strange, but I am totally fine with it. I am thinking that because the course was not rolling, either slight up or slight down for awhile I was able to keep constant pressure on my legs which prevented cramping.
Anyways, the race went well. Luckily Chad from Olaf came up with Kyle and he did hand ups for me, without that I would have been toast. I drank 7 bottles or so during the race, I drank enough in fact that I had to pee the entire race, I did so twice while rolling. Good skill to have...The first lap was not to hard, there were a few attacks, one guy got off solo and the pack just let him hang. As we came into the 2nd lap two guys went. Of course one was from each of the teams that had more than two people there. So there went the break of the day. It seemed every other lap there were some tries to get away, but that was not happening. I was on the front a fair amount, and feeling good, so why not!
The last lap I got in a break of 4 that looked good, but alas after a few miles of the front it was game over and what was left of the back caught up. On the last corner a grandstay guy attacked and I got on his wheel, but we were quickly brought back and it was a sprint finish for 2nd place. I ended up 6th. I am not to disappointed by that. After 104 miles of racing I was feeling good.

Yesterday was the crit in downtown Cloquet. It was a good time. The course was good too. right after the first corner there was a steadily increase rise until the next corner where it went up still but not as much. Then at the 3rd corner a fast descent into the 4th corner and main street which is 4 lanes wide. Plenty of space to move around. The pace started out nice and fast, and stayed pretty quick for a couple of laps. When it slowed down just a bit Tone, the race promoter went and I got on his wheel. We were out front for quite some time. During which I won a bike pump. I wanted the beer, but I guess I wont complain. After quite some time Tone said he could not go on and as some guys bridged up he dropped out. I got on the new break, but it got reeled in shortly. After a few laps as a group a couple of guys got off the front and no one would chase. I wanted to but did not have it in me after the break. The group ended up getting way away too, and stayed away. Near the end two more guys got away, making it 5 up the road. So the sprint in the end was for 6th. I got 8th. Oh well, did not place as high as I wanted, but I had some time in a break and pulled quite a bit in the pack. So it was a good race.
Also, mom came and took some photos. So here are a few.

Main stree

Winning the pump perhaps

The early break
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