housekeeping... dusty race reports...enjoy
Dunnigan RR – start time 8:40 – real start time, 9:10 (or so). 46ish miles. Wom 3 – 9 women in the field.
This was my very first road race. The roads were crap last year – this year most of them were repaved/chipsealed – so much smoother overall. Last year was hot – this year was wind. Wow, was there wind. There were spots where we were moving about 8mph on flat roads. Cross/head wind, Crosswind – a few times was a tail wind. We moved at a snails pace, tried to do some escheloning, and mostly hid from the wind as much as possible. The last 9 miles of flat next to I5 that took forever last year, went flying by this year as we had a nice tail wind. We turned right – and as expected, everyone turned into the right lane, I swung left (again) and charged up and over the overpass, stunning everyone – and clicked all the way down into my 11 ring, essentially in my hardest gear. And I spun out! I was literally pedaling as hard as I could. I heard someone wheezing to my right, I glanced over and saw code 3 gal (Is it karina or Kim, tall and blonde) wheezing and that made me go faster… she faded a little…and I was thinking “wow I cant believe I’m here”– I was leading until I was beaten to the line by Carol from touchstone – but I was literally going as fast as I could go – for 2nd. I was happy with my point.
Giro Crit – start time 9:30 – Cat 3 women – field 30? Big teams from dolce, mint, code 3, and mouse. Teammates – Bergen, kate, bev (superstud mtn bike nat’l champion the day before) and me.
The plan: take a few flyers mid way thru the race to ramp up the pace and make the girls scared/hurt. With 5 to go, Bergen explodes putting a ton of hurt on the girls, then as the field catches her, have Kate go up and hurt the field, and then Bev and I can lead out for the finish. The plan was perfect…
The race: We raced about for many laps – no real attacks – a few primes went, but neither dolce or code 3 were controlling the race. We had our attack plans set, and the girly meece just sat together, watching who was doing what, and sitting in. I marked several other gals (code 3, dolce, and mint) to see what they were doing, how they were feeling, and listening for their breath on the hills. My oh MY was that the predictor of the finish! Wowza, I heard many a wheeze but I was hardly breathing hard! I kept patience, just sitting in the pack watching who was going to do something…well with 5 to go, Bergen storms out of nowhere and just splatters the field and I thought YES ITS ON! Kate works up to the front to cover any attacks that might happen, but she just controlled the field. I really thought Bergen might stay away, she was so far ahead and away for 2 ½ laps! Eventually we caught her and Kate ramped up the pace – working hard – and then with 2 to go, I was up front moving as girls were dropping on the hill, wheezing and wheezing – wow I was still feeling fresh, so I punched it on the hill and got on the front– watching the attacks. I slowed up. Suddenly on my right a dolce girl was streaming fast inside, I jumped her wheel and let her drag me around – she slowed and the field caught us – the next time around there was a group 3 gals on janelles wheel, she slowed and the group caught us. The final turn and I was joined by minty, and two others… we jammed into the final turn and I was using them as a lead out but the two between me and the minty burnt early – I came around and got on minty’s wheel, and then a last ditch effort to come around her, and had I had 10 more feet, I’d have had her… so I didn’t time my sprint just perfect but good enough for 2nd, I was so excited for 2nd that it was like I won!
The girly meece were fantastic – amazing execution of our made up strategy – we really learned how to ride together and work together this season. Our pack skills are decent and we should be really excited to race together next season. I am extremely proud how far all of us have come in just one season! J
