Jason Snovel, Golden State Crit Cat 4

I’ve been contemplating whether or not to write a race
report being that I spent the entire race off the
back, but, I figured I at least owed you guys an
explanation as to why I didn’t even bother to show up
for the Masters race…
I woke up early enough, got to the race with plenty of
time, felt, for the most part, pretty good…but, there
was one BIG problem…I just didn’t feel like racing, in
the rain…or…for that much…at all. The heart just
wasn’t in it at the beginning, but about 3/4 of a lap
into it… “Well hello Mr. Cardio Pulmonary system, nice
to see you…glad you could join us today.” “Please
allow me to bring you up to speed on this morning’s
events thus far!”

The D200 is the better of the 2 cameras that we own
and I rarely get the opportunity to use it. It takes
excellent photos and I’m totally jazzed that I’m going
to be able to get some great shots of AJ and the rest
of the Jr. squad. Get the EZ-UP up, set the bike on
the trainer, and off to shoot AJ’s race. I’m snapping
away, getting some great shots of them at the start
line, at the first turn, at the hairpin, and a few
other choice spots along the course. I run over to the
finish and get the perfect “Hero” shot of AJ and the
rest of the team…including Alex’s friggin’ awesome win
with Zack right behind him…and, as I’m trying to pull
up the images to show the boys, I think I must have
gotten some water in the card somehow, or I
accidentally reformatted it as I kept it under my
jacket and out of the rain or something…because I lost
everything…absolutely broke my heart man. What I
should have done was call Dawn and told her, but
because I felt like such a DUMAS, I just couldn’t.
She’s got this recovery software that allows you to
recover deleted or reformatted cards and I’d
completely forgotten this so, I ask Derek if he could
take some shots of AJ and I in the E4 race and, of
course, without hesitation, being one of the coolest
dudes I know, he says, “Sure man!” I let him shoot
over everything I just reformatted, rendering them non
retrievable…did I mention the fact that I felt like a
complete DUMAS?

“Thus far, because of your lackadaisical effort at the
start, you got stuck right behind the first accident
of the race and instead of watching where you were
going, you were so concerned about AJ, who was about
30 yds. in front of you, making it through without
incident that you completely forgot about your own
welfare and by the time you realized it and turned
your attention back toward your own race, you had to
slam on your brakes, got sideways trying to avoid it
causing you to drop so far off the lead pack that you
almost dropped out. Something you thought seriously
about until you looked up ahead to see your son
pulling the group of 5 or 6 guys in his group, and
this was his 2nd race of the day!” This time the 'ole
internal monologue sounds a lot like Micheal Cain.
Sometimes that smug British accent is soo aggravating!
“Alright already…SHUT UP!” I say to myself. Must have
said it out loud, because the guy next to me just
looked at me as if to say, “Dude, I didn’t say
anything!” but I think in that same instant, he
realized that I was talking to myself and just smiled
and faded back. Every time I look up, I see AJ on the
front if his group hammering away. Trying to get the 5
or 6 guys I was with to pick it up and understand the
finer details of a nice tight “rotating” echelon was
proving to be utterly impossible. The guy that was on
my wheel, after my effort would pull through so fast
that he would drop everyone else and leave me to pull
them back up to his wheel then I'd watch him drift
back thinking his pull was done, leaving me once again
on the front with no one wanting to pull through.
Well, after about the 3rd time that happened, I’d had
enough and had just enough lung capacity to let him
have it as I pulled up to, and around him. He got it
after that. I think everyone else did too, because
they joined in as well. We finally reel in the group
that AJ’d been yanking around the course and he’s
happy to see me. It took us about 4-5 laps to do it
though, which either speaks volumes about his fitness,
or…volumes about mine. By the way, he’s in amazing
shape! :0) We’re within reach of the main field, but
I’m spent. I didn’t eat breakfast, save a piece of
toast with jam and butter and a cup of coffee. And,
just before the start, I slam a cheer pack on an empty
stomach so by this time, my stomachs in knots, my
hearts about to jump out of my chest, and I’ve no
powa! I feel like I’m on the verge of bonking and just
then, AJ pulls up and around me and slows just enough
for me to get on, looks back, shoots me a big smile, I
can see the dirt and grime from the tire spray all
over his face, glasses, and kit and reminds me of why
I do this…for the love of it man. He puts his head
down, and we press on, pulling the pack with us.
We pass by the start finish line and I hear Cody’s dad
say that Cody was out there in no mans land up ahead.
We pull up, AJ’s on the front, and I say, “Get on
bud!” and Cody falls in. Once again, I find myself in
good company. My placing may not reflect it, but I had
a great race! The rain was brutal. It made for a slick
course and some scary moments. I just couldn’t
convince the body to make it to the 2nd race. I think
I knew all too well that if I’d bothered to show up
and cheer you guys, I’d have jumped in and possibly
hurt myself.
Glad to hear of all the success out there…promise to
put in my time in the near future.
Huge thanks to Rod and Derek for making it out to AJ’s
pizza party, you guys made his day. And Joe and
Robbie, ditto.
Thanks guys,
~ J