Barry-Roubaix 2013

 This would be my second year racing this event.  My goal was to have a great weekend with the wife and finish better then last year.  I started to (annoy my wife) I mean prep for the race on Monday with the crazy spring weather I wasn't sure how conditions were going to be.  So on friday Sean called and asked what are you packing I responded I have packed every piece of clothes and set of tires I own and should probably go buy a few more.
    On race morning I woke up with a major head cold so we loaded up and took off planning on stoping at a pharmacy that didn't happen they dont open till 9:00.  So we continued on to packet pickup. Once in the lot I had 45 min till my wave was to start the race was all ready on in my head to get ready and get to the line.  So the wife helped me get my stuff together and Sean and I headed to the line.  Getting there late would leave me no time to warm up or think about changing tires so on the line I sat with file treads hoping for the best.

    My pace plan was to get with the lead group and try to hang as long as I could then go ten miles or so at my pace and kill the last fifteen miles. I hung on to the group for a bit but I felt the strongest on the icy descents due to MTBing in the snow the file treads were money.  I was also helped out by getting into some very fast pacelines at one point we were hitting speeds close to 40 mph on the pavement sections.  After the last section of dirt came to an end I knew we were close and it was time to empty the tank.  I was in a group of about ten riders coming to the finish as we rounded the final corner I sprinted to the line along side one other rider. I finished in 2hours 5min twenty minutes better then last year.
  We hung out and had a few beers and watched the podiums then packed up drove back to the hotel showered up and went bowling (payback to the wife) all in all a great trip and can't wait till next year.