Ovaling on a Sunday

Due to snowy roads in the AM, the Saturday Oval Ride got moved to Sunday.  So on Sunday I did a nice 4 hour tempo on the mtb on the road.  Yeah, it might have been a bit much, but it is February and I am building my engine for the 2011 season.  So today at the Oval I was running at about 85%.  Definitely not a high enough percentage of spunk to have a good day at the Oval....especially when everyone rolls at such a high level.  The first 60 miles were a given....but once we hit Carter Lake I was cooked when the road started moving up.  I lost contact and was forced to chase any riders that might fall off the pace all the way back to Fort Collins.  I had some help from Forrest (SPIKE)....but it wasn't enough.  Both of us were toast.  Eventually Forrest fell off my pace up the climb to Horsetooth Mountain Park.  I caught Ian Holt at the top....and rode back to town solo....digging....never giving up.