Master's Nationals are in da Ville

This is not the first year for USA Cycling to hold the Master's National Road Championships here. But it's my first time experiencing it.
To participate you must be 30 years old and be able to pay the entry fee per race. Early registration is $60 per, a little steep, but late registration is over twice that. ouweee. In addition if you are male and 54 and lower or female and 44 and lower must be a Category 3 racer or higher. If you are older, you just need to enter, pay the fee and show up.

I am volunteering where I can this week. Saturday registration/packet pickup allowed me to meet and greet many of the racers. Early Sat morning I prerode the course, again. Then I met others and some put up hay bales and myself and another cleaned the course with broom and leaf blowers.

Yesterday the women's age groups and tandems raced. The course is just under a 5 mile loop. The older you are the fewer laps you have to ride. :-D The ladies thiry-somethings had 9 laps, forty-somethings 7 laps, and 50 somethings 6 laps. Those were the hardest, hottest 6 laps I've ever done. Failed to triple check my barrel adjustment and dropped a chain twice. Focus! I finished 14 out of 18. I'm amazed with that.

Tonight I joined the skirts for a recovery ride. Great group of women and guest rider. Met some new ladies. Rode 22 easy recovery miles. Had a tail wind down River Road that was very sweet. Wish the cars passing had been half as sweet. Crazy the chances people take on a double yellow line on a curve passing up to a dozen cyclists.

Tomorrow is my last full day of work this week. Hope to do some good short hard efforts and then ride easy for a while, later in the evening. Need to be as ready as I can for Wednesday's time trial. My last opportunity to participate in these races. It's so interesting to see all these expensive time trial bikes in addition to the road bikes many cyclists brought with them. Talk about a rich man's sport!

I must admit that I've met the most friendly, helpful and fun people in the cycling community. I will be volunteering at the criterium races, Thursday - Saturday. They are being held on the infield road at Churchill Downs. Those will be some fast races.

Dixie called and told me all about the venue at Senior Games in August. She prerode the course over the weekend. It's a month away and it's my A race. Main goal - Have Fun! :-) make the most of the adventure and expand my world.