Things went badly yesterday, luckwise. Catherine had a super race though and finished 2nd, around 30 seconds back on Maureen Bruno Roy who won. It was a good course for both of us, with power climbs off your seat and snakey fast sections.

I got a mediocre start, but got into the lead before the first technical section. I lead for most of the first lap, but screwed up a descent and got passed, which was good for me. Anyway, at the end of the first lap, my gears started shifting badly. I looked back and my rear skewer was pointing backwards and I tightened it forward. I knew I had to stop and fix it. Before the race, I pulled my rear wheel out going up a hill and thought that maybe I didn’t tighten by quick release, but thought that was wrong. I should of changed it before the race. Anyway, I stopped at a U-turn and tightened the skewer. I was back in the 20’s by the time I got going, but felt pretty OK and rode back up to the front group on the 2nd lap. But, the group was splitting and David Frattinni and Tyler Wren, teammates, had split off the front 5 seconds or so.

I got to the front of the remaining riders, which were just 3 others and myself. I knew I wasn’t going to have any problems getting up to the Colivita guys. But, disaster struck and I broke my chain on the next hill. I’ve only broken three chains in my life. Twice now in races and once training. Not sure what the cause was this time. I wasn’t shifting or doing anything strange. It doesn’t really matter. It was a race I could of won. I needed the UCI points. Both Frattinni and Wren both flatted the next lap. Along with Matt White and a few others. They were catching their wheels on a uphill asphalt lip. All at the same place.

It’s a couple hours before the UCI race today near Washington DC. I’m alittle apprehensive. I feel like I did the full race yesterday and not just 3 laps. I guess you do the majority of the damage warming up and the first couple laps, so maybe I shouldn’t worry about it. But, the systems check that I always do the mornings of a race is something you can’t consciencely control. Supposed to start raining soon, so maybe my Fifth Street Cross riding practice will come into use.