Boulder Beer Race

A hard week of training culminated in the Boulder Beer Road Race Sunday. I was feeling pretty tired from the weeks efforts so this was basically prep for the Deer Trail Road Race next weekend. This was 7.4 mile circuit race with 2 big hills each lap, click here for the course Profile. Andrei and Shuka joined me at the start line, so we had 3 Swifties. The race started as normal with nothing of note happening until the 3rd lap when there was an attack up the first hill. I just sat in and let everyone else chase. Andrei and Shuka had great position the whole race sitting around the top 20. At this point I wasn't feeling good, and was already thinking I was going to have a hard time hanging with the main pack as the group went on. I was sitting about 40th on the way back when there was a huge crash. I luckily was able to avoid it because I was sitting so far back, and chased back on within a few seconds. Between laps 3-5 there wasn't really anything happening, which allowed me to drink a lot and eat a powergel and drink and Enervitene Cheer pack which gave me my second wind. I was able to move up some and get in with Andrei and Shuka. The 6th and final lap saw a few attacks on the first hill, with nothing going as it all regrouped on the downhill. Coming down the last downhill, Andrei attacked stringing out the field which allowed me to move down the right side from 35th place to 12th. I was now just waiting for an attack on the last hill. Sure enough a guy from Spine & Sport attacked at the bottom and a Vitamin Cottage guy covered. They had 100 ft gap, but they were a long way from the top so I stayed patient and waited for someone else to bring it back. I ended up hopping on the wheel of 2 guys trying to bridge. By this time we were down to about 15 guys and we caught the 2 leaders just after the crest. I was sitting 5th wheel when a RMRC rider counterattacked on the left side and I hopped on 3rd wheel behind Louisville Cyclery guy in the last 300m and that is how it finished. I tried to come around the LC guy but I was spun out in my 12, I definately needed an 11. He got me by a wheel and I held on for 3rd. I was pretty pumped with this result as I wasn't feeling my best, and It is a definite boost of confidence going into Deer Trail. Shuka finished ~22nd and Andrei 33rd, which was great for the team as we all made the main group and were able to work together helping with positioning. Here are some pics from the race. First 2 pics arn't of my race, but give an idea to the views and course. The last three are. I'm in the orange kit and white helmet.