On paper this event was supposed to be 4 laps, 72 miles. However, the weather was total crap. 37 and raining, 20mph winds and the roadways were starting to look like rivers in areas. It was cut to 3 laps at the start and cut to 2 during the race, 37 miles.
So about the course, one really long gradual climb mostly with a tailwind. Really gradual, steepest seciton might have been 5% average like 1.5%. Then there was a short steep downhill with a hard right turn at the bottom, followed by a long mostly flat section. Road here was sketchy with a head/cross wind. At about 4-5k to go the road pitches down fast, sketchy road and a the wind is coming at you hard as a mostly cross wind. Like that right down to the sprint, shallower grades, but still downhill straight down to a right hand turn.
This will be pretty short, but basically this race was not a race. It was a test of survival, who dealt with the cold rain better whether via equipment, body insulating blubber (fat), or just pure grit. I didn't have the first two. I covered things in duct tape to try and keep water out... it worked for a little while. Eventually everything was just soaked though. It was cold, I couldn't generate the power I normally can, I had no 'snap.' Anyways I fought through it, but wasn't racing. I was just ensuring I didn't crash, people were borderline hypothermic and then 5k from the finish of the second lap they told us we were finishing up our last lap. There was a sprint, I finished close enough in to be placed in the main group. Goal of the day completed.
No clue what the plan is for tomorrow because they are trying to figure that out themselves still. Should know by morning but by the book should be a 61 miles road race that finishes on top of a mountain. Should be ~30 in the morning and raining/snowing. Warms up a bit, but yeah... cold. I'm hoping for... something different.
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