Maybe getting my butt kicked during those Prospect Park training rides by Adam S. and Brett C., et al is paying off... I got a ride from a friend last-minute so I went up to the finale of the Bethel Spring Series today and wound up placing 4th in the first Category 5 field.

They actually sent out two Cat 5 fields of about 30 guys each - I think the second one had more of the Bethel regulars, and the first had the out-of-town interlopers like me.  How were competitive were they?  Beats me. This was my 3rd race ever. I'm still trying to figure out what the bell means.

In my race, everyone kind of sat around and looked at each other until the last lap, where it broke up a bit. The final sprint is on the hill and there was a crash behind us which I think took down one or two guys but I didn't see it. I have a little bit of couldashouldawoulda regret that I wasn't at the very front entering the hill sprint but I'll take it.