Kenosha Criterium - 1.2 mile flat industrial park. 52 deg F, hard rain, 30-40 mph winds.

About 8 of us started the 50 plus race for 45 minutes plus 2 laps. On the first lap, one rider strung it out then broke the elastic leaving groups of two in his wake. I was in the second group (4th/5th place) and we worked/suffered together for the next 43 minutes plus 2 laps. It sucked!

After the race I dumped my clothes (hat ,thin undershirt, underarmour shirt, jersey, wind vest, arm warmers, bibs, leg warmers, thinsocks, wool socks, booties) in two plastic bags. When I got home I weighed them - 9 1/2 lbs and that doesn't include my soggy Sidis.

TF

Kenosha Criterium - 1.2 mile flat industrial park. 52 deg F, hard rain, 30-40 mph winds.

About 8 of us started the 50 plus race for 45 minutes plus 2 laps. On the first lap, one rider strung it out then broke the elastic leaving groups of two in his wake. I was in the second group (4th/5th place) and we worked/suffered together for the next 43 minutes plus 2 laps. It sucked!

After the race I dumped my clothes (hat ,thin undershirt, underarmour shirt, jersey, wind vest, arm warmers, bibs, leg warmers, thinsocks, wool socks, booties) in two plastic bags. When I got home I weighed them - 9 1/2 lbs and that doesn't include my soggy Sidis.

TF

Years ago I did a road race in South Carolina. The morning of the race it was 38 degrees and raining with gusty winds. Many no shows among the preregistered. My race number was pinned to my bellweather jacket and I wore a baseball cap and ear band under my helmet. I had polypro tights and fingered gloves. Probably the worst part was that we had a diesel ambulance as our lead vehicle on the hilly course. The ambulance never got more than about 100 feet in front of us so each time we had to climb, it was in a cloud of exhaust. About halfway throught the race, the wind died down which combined with the rain to concentrate the noxious fumes right around mouth and nose level. When the race finally ended in a pack surge (not sprint), we all went to our cars not caring about the results.

I took a pass on that race. Had the car all packed, but when I woke up it was pouring buckets. It was raining so hard, that I would have had to drive at 45 mph all the way up to Kenosha. No thanks. .......Put in an hour and a half on the trainer instead.

If you raced in just your BVD's you might have won!:D

Hopefully, I can bring some southern California weather with me here in few weeks. I am planning to race in WoW in Madison while I am visiting my folks for a week in my beloved cheeseland.

I never was a trooper when it came to racing in fowl weather when I was there. I watched the weekend forcast everyweek, praying to god, hoping for no rain on the race day. It didnt always work. Now, I almost had to race in the rain, once, here in SoCal since February. Weather cleared up and sun was shining just before the cat 4s got started. My praying worked that time. :)