The final road race of the season did not disappoint for me. The course was a rolling 3-ish mile triangular lap on three roads surrounding a forest preserve in Oak Brook. Having scouted the course 3 times in the previous weeks I felt very confident with the course and knowing where to be and how fast one would be going during certain sections. The first cat 5 heat was going to be 6 laps for a total of about 19 miles.
Having such “intimate” knowledge of the course I knew I wanted to be up front going into the second turn, a very tight switchback that led into a 90 degree turn that was flat for a little bit before the climbing section of the course. As the race started I scrambled to click in. As is always the case I missed the pedal and was chasing the back of the pack. Luckily the pack was cruising pretty slow. I took the first turn wide and made up a couple of spots. The pack was mostly stretched out even though we weren’t going fast, this allowed me to move up in position as we were coming into the second tight turn. Having been unable to properly warm up, my legs felt like cement and my high level of nervousness had not subsided as it usually does once the race starts.
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— Adrian Silva
Thursday August 21, 2008 Journal
The team is in a transitional phase as road, track and mountain wind down and the one discipline that’s on fire at the moment arises. We’re talking about cyclocross. It’s been an interesting year watching a smaller team of our size work our own individual trajectories out — we have a good idea of what each other is doing and that’s nice to know. You feel connected even if you don’t see one another too often if you’re racing in different disciplines.
Back to the dirt. Cyclocross is almost upon us and the Chicago Cross Cup organizers have put up a hefty and stellar schedule that includes 11 (!) races and 1 clinics. It all starts next month and the team has a good amount of people racing cross, both new and old. It should prove a damn fine time, gritting it out, getting dirty and going down all in the name of some kind of glory.
In addition, we’re co-hosting another race this year and we’re happy it’s a cross one. The October 5th leg of the ChiCrossCup in DeKalb will be the date. Time and other details will be announced as soon as have things finalized.
Expect to see us out there in the dirt. We’re psyched!
You couldn’t have asked for a better day to race. 5AM rang loud and clear on the clock and five of us from the team met up at 6AM to make the ride up to Glencoe for the Glencoe Grand Prix. We found ourselves warming up to the day with a nice workout pace set by Zach who wanted the Cat 5 racers to be ready to go off at 8AM. We rolled through the north shore, those huge mansions rolling by as the sun came up and the waters looked welcoming. A new day.
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Wednesday August 6, 2008 Journal
Half Acre Cycling will be sharing some tasty sponsor product – that’s right, Half Acre BEER – with registered racers at the Glencoe Grand Prix this Sunday. Look for our tent near the start/finish, across the course from the neutral race support pit.
We’ll also be selling our spiffy new “The Race, The Ride, The Fury” tshirts. See ya there!
Friday August 1, 2008 Journal
Half Acre riders have had a tough time out there this summer, and 4 of our riders are out right now with injuries – three cycling related and an, erm, “other.”
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