Bikes!

[breakingnews]

Yesterday I rode the 20th annual North Jersey Cycling Classic, which was a pretty well-run event in Park Ridge, NJ, with about $10,000 in prize money.

It's a great track - 0.8 mile rectangle through downtown PR. Course starts with a <I>brutal</I> quarter-mile climb at 17%, then downhill into a sweeping, almost 180-degree turn through a four-lane intersection back into the finishing straight.

I would have loved to run the Pro-1-2 event for the $1,000 purse, but on the 3rd lap of my 8-lap race, I realized why I was not ready to do 25 laps with the top riders.

I got dropped by the lead group on the third climb, but held on to finish 9th and win myself some socks, gloves and other gear. I should be happy based on the fact that I even finished - I think less than half of the riders crossed the line.

But I made a huge mistake pussying out and letting myself trail off the back. No one was moving too fast - all I needed to do was stay with the leaders, but I got scared and backed down, basically gearing up for a solid ass-whoopin'. Talk about a brutal day. Will post photos when I get a chance.