It’s already Sunday morning and I’ve dropped Linsey off at the airport and I’m back at the house waiting for a later flight to London and then back to the states tomorrow. The Friday night warm up and Points race is already a distant memory. I do know my plan was to take in all the great vibes of the place during warm up and just enjoy the chance to be here riding. The nights schedule took a while which is normal, lots of events to fit in. Eventually on the track for 40 laps. I’m in the race front pack for the 1st few sprints but I’m just not up to the fitness of the rest of the field. 2nd sprint, I’m gapped and luckily I catch Larry and yell for him to go, he pulls me back just about the time of the next sprint, gapped again but Larry is still pulling and we get back again. In the pack and moving up getting ready for the last few laps. The French rider is clearly the class of the field still and goes off without a problem. I have a strong last few laps and gain a few positions with a 12th place finish, no points. 17 riders, one DNF total in the field.
Linsey, Jen and Sam were there to cheer me on, thanks for the support. Sam has a Scratch race yet but my main job is to get Linsey and Jen back to their houses to get to bed so they will be rested for Saturday Sprint day for them. A quick ride for them and I’m back to hold Sam for his Scratch race start. He is on the lower set of riders that need to be held and then pushed off while the rest of the field is at the rail. Sam has a reasonably decent race until he got trapped behind a few slow riders that slowed him down and off the main field closing his race down for the night.
Pack up and head home but I’m starting to feel like my nasty cold symptoms are coming back. Oh yeah, should be just great for trying to support everyone tomorrow. Into to bed about midnight but the coughing starts a few hours later and I’m up reading until; the alarm goes off. Time for helper adrenaline to kick in.