Turtle Pond Circuit Race Report

Thanks to an amazing and understanding family, I got the green light to hit up a couple of road races this weekend. My OA/CycleMania team was out in force at the Turtle Pond Circuit Race in Loudon, NH and the Quabbin Reservoir Road Race on Sunday. I was eager to be a part of it.

Masters 35+
10th/22 finishers

I left Maine @ 8:45am wearing long pants and a sweatshirt. When I arrived at registration in Loudon at noon, I stepped out of the car into a sauna! It was all of 85 degrees and sun! On the one hand, it was a treat to be able to kit up in only a short sleeve and sorts. On the other hand, it was bloody fricken hot and I immediately wished I had sunscreen, had drunk more fluids pre-race, and had 3 water bottle cages!
(All photos courtesy of Dana and her husband found here)

Well, I lined up with teammates Fred Thomas, John Meerse, Paul Weiss, and others with what I brung. Pre-race strategy was to be sure one of us was in every break and then bring someone home to the finish. It didn’t take long for things to get going. I covered a couple of feeble early attempts. Then Fred went with a CCB guy and they quickly got a gap large enough to slip out of site, and this was lap 1! So John and I went on defense. It was really fun. He would go with any acceleration, while I sat in the pack. When we would catch them and someone else took off, I followed. There was work involved, as the accelerations were hard efforts. But in general, I wouldn’t have to work too hard in the break. At 1 point, 1 guy soloed away from us, but John and I let him go as we didn’t feel like he was a threat to Fred who was now doing his solo time-trial thing up ahead as he dropped his co-escapee.

This back and forth continued for 4 of the 5 laps. As we rounded the bend for the start of the final lap, I drank my last sip of liquid. Ruh, roh. I went into semi-conservation mode, knowing I had 63 hilly miles to race the next day. Another break formed halfway through and luckily it was John’s turn and he rode away with them. I ended up working with a CCB guy, some assclown who is sponsored by himself, and Greg “The Leg” Montello of IF bikes. I did my share of work to try to keep the breakaway in sight. But, as soon as we hit the short, but steep climb, Greg was dropped and the CCB guy took off up the hill. I was done, and left with Mr. Wheelsucker. I settled into a moderate tempo pace. The douche I was with was absolutely no help. When I pulled to the side to let him by he actually stood and coasted! I even asked if he was serious and he said he was done. So I said “You’re not going to finish ahead of me are you?” He shook his head no. So I resumed duty up front and pulled him in like a AAA tow truck. Guess what happened on the straight to the finish? He comes around me and says “Let’s sprint it out.” Are you f’in kidding me?!
I was so dumbfounded I said nothing and watched him speed across the line like he just won the Saturday morning club ride sprint. What a toolbox!
I was thrilled with the team effort as Fred got the win
and John managed to finish 7th in his mini group.