This is the true post of Little 500 riders picked to have their lives surrounding America's Greatest College Weekend posted to the web. To find out what happens when the IDS stops just reporting and starts getting real...check here for The Real Ride -- Little 500 style.
Well, we are officially inside of three weeks until race day. I have a lot to update since my last entry. The Black Key Bulls qualified seventh in a time of 2:24:24 for the 2010 Little 500, which means that we will be starting the race on the inside of the third row. Usually the weather for qualifications is marked by foreboding, icing clouds and heavy winds, but to the pleasant surprise of the Black Key Bulls and the rest of the field, the weather for this year's qualifications was absolutely beautiful. Going into our run, the team's three main goals for quals were to get into the race, put up a respectable time that would qualify us in one of the first three rows and complete it on our first attempt, and as a group we were able to accomplish all of those.
From our seventh place quals finish, we were then the seventh team to pick our jersey color and pit location for race day. We ended up choosing a light grey almost super light greenish colored jersey and the thirty-first pit (three from the end in turn one).
Last Wednesday, I competed in the Individual Time Trial, which is an event where each rider races four laps against the clock. I raced in the eight o'clock hour, and usual, riding under the lights produced such an exciting buzz in the atmosphere. I finished 10th overall in a time of 2:28.86 on a track that turned out to be pretty slow because of the fact that it was so dry and rutted. Most of the top guys put up times that were much slower than times from last year. As a team, we really didn't have a good showing at the Individual Time Trials, but we kept our heads up and acknowledged that our underlying goal is April 24th.
As I opened with, we are inside of three weeks. Back in the fall, at a team dinner, it was commented that the race would be here before we knew i,, and that sentiment has definitely been living up to the truth. With Miss 'N Out, USA Triathlon Collegiate Nationals and the race all on the next consecutive weekends, race day can't come soon enough. Spring in Bloomington, IN...why hello Little 500.
Jordan Bailey is a junior majoring in History. He rides for the Black Key Bulls.
