Another year at the Dogwood RR

The first climb on 125 into Garrison ripped my legs apart. A group of about 20 or more took off. I ended up in a group of about 15 riders. Me and one other rider were trying to get the group to do 30 sec pulls. But every time I would pull of the front the person behind me would shake their head. So me and about two other guys pulled that whole group almost until Oldfield. We could see the main pack ahead of us they looked to be unorganized and slowing down. If we had the group working together we could have caught them. So me and August and another guy broke away from the pack and as we headed into Oldfield we caught Greg Espenkotter. He worked with us for a while and ended up falling off the back. As we approached Union Hill the other guy that was with me and August started to accelerate and we stayed on his wheel. Until August cramped up and fell off the back. I stayed with the guy all the way up Union Hill. When we reached the top he asked me were the feed zone was I told him it was about a mile ahead. His girlfriend handed him a bottle and she took my empty bottle so I wouldn't have to keep one in my jersey pocket. We both seemed to be taking equal turns up front but on the short climbs he would accelerate. He could have dropped me but I think he was looking for a ride into the wind. As we approached Goodhope out of nowhere Greg Espenkotter showed up and started layin it down on the flats. My legs were burning so bad and my lower back hurt. When we turned onto 76 I wanted to kill myself. I stayed with them for another 3-4 miles or so and ended up falling off. I just couldn't go anymore. I looked behind me didn't see anyone and figured I would just try to hold a steady pace to the finish line. However I still had Elk hill to climb and the last few rollers. When I approached Elk hill I could see someone behind me so I was like shit I'm not going to let this guy catch me. So started to go as hard as I could. My thighs started cramping on Elk hill I looked back and he was at the base of the climb. I thought to myself I hope he's worse at climbing than me. Then on the descents I was hammering it as hard as I could cause I knew the worst was over. I looked back and could no longer see him so I knew I was good. So I passed the finish line I have no idea how I placed. I started riding down 125 to cool down and the next guy to come thru was Jim Jones a masters rider for OCC I said "was that you behind me?" He said "yeah I was trying to catch you but your just to fast." I wish I would have known cause I wouldn't have rode so hard the last few miles. Greg and the other guy finished a couple minutes ahead of me. As I was coming back to the school from cooling down the other guy brought me my water bottle. He told me I did way to much work at the beginning. I said oh well someone has to be up front. It was very nice of his girlfriend to get my bottle for me and of him to bring it back to me. He actually said to her at the feed zone to take this guys bottle. So I threw it and she caught it with one hand. Cycling still seems to be a gentleman's sport, most of the time anyways. So my back was killing me all day after the race and a little sore today. But I could not resist riding so I did 2hrs and my back did not hurt at all. I actually felt stronger than yesterday. Shit I have to do Biology homework. Thanks to everyone that came out to race, the volunteers, and also little six pound eight ounce baby Jesus.