How about some good news for once: The ABR masters national road race championship is on! This Saturday, Sept. 22, near Rockford.

The course is a rolling, 8-mile rectangle. The hills are nothing to speak of, although there’s a long, straight descent that leads to a short hiccup of a climb right before the finish line, just enough to make the sprint interesting.

The biggest feature is likely to be the wind, which can be ferocious on these unsheltered roads. Echelon smartly. Figure out beforehand which way the wind is coming from so you can anticipate which side of the pack you want to be on on each side of the course. And if you’re feeling strong, drill it in the crosswinds and watch the carnage ensue.

I don’t expect the fields will be very big, but it’s a good chance to get in one last road race, and it’s the same course that the Fall Fling road race will be contested on two weeks later, so it could be a good chance to preview the conditions.