So I'm getting ready to head up to Alexandria for the annual Racing Rapides stage race. It's looking like it will be a pretty hot weekend, but at least rain seems unlikely. I wish I could say I feel ready, but then again, I rarely feel truly "ready" for a race -- a result, of couse, of my entirely unfocused training pattern. It seems like it was a really long week. I skipped out on the Tuesday afternoon time trial and instead set my sights on the Wednesday Night training race at the Lakefront. Ben was looking for someone with whom to ride out with, so I ended up leaving relatively early and would have arrived with time to spare except for the nail I picked up in my rear tire on Carrollton Avenue as we were jockeying for position among the motorized public. I changed the flat as quickly as I could, pumped in maybe 50 psi and we took off for the lakefront again. When I got there I decided to stop and put a little more air in the tire, which unfortunately resulted in me missing the "start," such as it is. They were shooting a big movie near the western end of our course, and all of the trucks, trailers and electrical cables running across the road caused the group to create an ad hoc course on Lakeshore Drive and Elysian Fields, which of course I didn't know. Anyway I eventually got myself into the race which turned out to be only moderate by training race standards. So I worked the return leg of the Thursday morning levee ride a little harder than usual to compensate .... as if. Preparation for this weekend consisted of throwing a bunch of clothes into my bag last night and checking to make sure my race wheel tires were still holding air. Situation normal. I'll be driving up with Keith A. some time around 5 pm, which means arriving probably around 8:30 or so.
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