Thursday, October 25, 2007
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
Can't hardly wait
This weekend I get the White Menace and the Best Dog Ever. Lots of fun activities planned.
Friday we will go to the dog beach in Annapolis. Let's hope the WM behaves!
Friday we will go to the dog beach in Annapolis. Let's hope the WM behaves!
Random shots from MAC #1 and #2
None of me but here are a few that I took.
The Monkey.
Monkey's husband aka Fatmarc.
Auer... I'm thinking of having him coach me.
The fast chick that won the Elite race.
My friend Mel displaying perfect barrier technique.
The Monkey.
Monkey's husband aka Fatmarc.
Auer... I'm thinking of having him coach me.
The fast chick that won the Elite race.
My friend Mel displaying perfect barrier technique.
Mid-Atlantic Cross Races #1 and #2
I have a lot of catching up to do so here goes. Last weekend were the first races of the MAC. These races are HUGE. They are UCI. All the big boys and girls come out to play. I had originally left them off of my schedule. I'm at the point in my season where I don't feel like traveling to races anymore, but I was convinced to race Granogue by K-Lo (who, by the way, backed-out on me!). So I flew solo up to Delaware for Saturday's race with no intention of racing Sunday in Pennsylvania.
All the usual suspects are there... Harlow, Nikki, Spaz, Monkey. I admit I felt overwhelmed by the atmosphere and because of this mistakenly lined myself up near the back. Mistake #1... never start at the back. In fact, elbow and push your way to the front if you have to. I had a good start but was mid-pack due to being third row, and apparently my technical riding skills are on vacation. I rode the course like a small child. No, I take that back, a small child could have beaten me. I rode like a grandma, but not somebody's fast grandma. More like a grandma that's 90 years old and in a walker. Mistake #2... don't ride the course like you are afraid to crash or you most definitely will crash. I did manage to pull off an 8th place finish. I don't know how. I should have been 7th but I underestimated the girl behind me... she pipped me at the finish. Mistake #3... never underestimate your competition. Oh, and during the race I heard someone cheering for me. I looked up and it's Kraut and Super Duper Tri Woman. Mistake #4... don't take your eyes off the course or you will run into the course tape.
After the race I was hanging out with Monkey and Dina. They convinced me that Sunday's race was suited to me and planted the seed in my head that maybe I should stay. It didn't hurt that Kraut lived nearby and was already hosting Sean and Harlow and what's one more. I could even wash my kit and when they told me what's for dinner, I was sold. Plus I could visit with Kraut. I haven't seen her since August as she's been marathon training and not racing her bike.
I won't go into the details of the evening but it was a good time with good friends.
Sunday morning we had a 45 minute drive over to Ludwig's Corner for race #2. Once we got there, I suited up and did a couple of laps and was licking my chops. This course was mine. I even shoved my way to the front row for the start, very uncharacteristic of me, but I was on a mission. I wanted to be on that podium and this course race was my best chance to date. The gun goes and I have my best start ever. In fact, Harlow, myself, and a couple of other random riders quickly separate ourselves from the rest. Things are going great until my bike breaks. UGH!!! I had been having problems with the front deraileur but now it decides to jam up the chain between the chainring and chain guide and seize up my crank. I went flying ass over nose on a downhill and nearly hit a tree. By the time I got up and got my senses I looked down at the resulting mess. My chain had wrapped itself around the pedal and rear deraileur. I finally managed to get it untangled but now I'm in last place. Not to be beaten though. It's times like these that teach us to be tough competitors and the meaning of giving it all you've got. I went on a tear and started passing women one by one. In the end I wound up 7th. Hey, one spot better than yesterday! I'll take that.
I'm taking the weekend off from racing which is ironic. There's a new cross race right here in DC... no travel necessary. But I have the dogs this weekend and will spend the weekend doing dog things.
Results from Granogue here.
Results from Wissahickon here.
All the usual suspects are there... Harlow, Nikki, Spaz, Monkey. I admit I felt overwhelmed by the atmosphere and because of this mistakenly lined myself up near the back. Mistake #1... never start at the back. In fact, elbow and push your way to the front if you have to. I had a good start but was mid-pack due to being third row, and apparently my technical riding skills are on vacation. I rode the course like a small child. No, I take that back, a small child could have beaten me. I rode like a grandma, but not somebody's fast grandma. More like a grandma that's 90 years old and in a walker. Mistake #2... don't ride the course like you are afraid to crash or you most definitely will crash. I did manage to pull off an 8th place finish. I don't know how. I should have been 7th but I underestimated the girl behind me... she pipped me at the finish. Mistake #3... never underestimate your competition. Oh, and during the race I heard someone cheering for me. I looked up and it's Kraut and Super Duper Tri Woman. Mistake #4... don't take your eyes off the course or you will run into the course tape.
After the race I was hanging out with Monkey and Dina. They convinced me that Sunday's race was suited to me and planted the seed in my head that maybe I should stay. It didn't hurt that Kraut lived nearby and was already hosting Sean and Harlow and what's one more. I could even wash my kit and when they told me what's for dinner, I was sold. Plus I could visit with Kraut. I haven't seen her since August as she's been marathon training and not racing her bike.
I won't go into the details of the evening but it was a good time with good friends.
Sunday morning we had a 45 minute drive over to Ludwig's Corner for race #2. Once we got there, I suited up and did a couple of laps and was licking my chops. This course was mine. I even shoved my way to the front row for the start, very uncharacteristic of me, but I was on a mission. I wanted to be on that podium and this course race was my best chance to date. The gun goes and I have my best start ever. In fact, Harlow, myself, and a couple of other random riders quickly separate ourselves from the rest. Things are going great until my bike breaks. UGH!!! I had been having problems with the front deraileur but now it decides to jam up the chain between the chainring and chain guide and seize up my crank. I went flying ass over nose on a downhill and nearly hit a tree. By the time I got up and got my senses I looked down at the resulting mess. My chain had wrapped itself around the pedal and rear deraileur. I finally managed to get it untangled but now I'm in last place. Not to be beaten though. It's times like these that teach us to be tough competitors and the meaning of giving it all you've got. I went on a tear and started passing women one by one. In the end I wound up 7th. Hey, one spot better than yesterday! I'll take that.
I'm taking the weekend off from racing which is ironic. There's a new cross race right here in DC... no travel necessary. But I have the dogs this weekend and will spend the weekend doing dog things.
Results from Granogue here.
Results from Wissahickon here.
Thursday, October 18, 2007
So much to blog about...
Where to start? How about here... I got my new car! If I had my camera I could post photos but you will just have to use your imagination and visualize a hot black Honda Element EX 4WD. I bought it Monday of last week and it sat there in the street cold and all alone until Saturday when I ventured up to PA for Iron Cross. (By the way, if anyone reading this wants to buy a new Honda, talk to me first. Mark at Northwest Honda outside of Baltimore is where you need to go.)
But back to my blog. Yes, Saturday Sonja and I drove the "Elephant" up to PA for the longest cross race in the US, Iron Cross. 62 miles of pure, sweet, unadulterated h, e, double toothpicks. We were staying with friends that had a cabin 10 miles from Camp Thompson so we headed there and Harlow cooked up a spectacular dinner of stuffed pork loin, potatoes, and string beans. Paul had already prepared a chicken pasta dish with artichoke hearts. Needless to say, we ate well, then off to bed for a good night's sleep.
Race morning and I'm really not nervous. I had finished Iron Cross last year as a joy ride, and had done well, earning 10th place without even trying. This year, my goals were threefold: 1. better my previous year's time 2. beat Enser (a little friendly competition that started at Altoona) and 3. beat Spaznogle (she's beaten me in every cross race this year, but Iron Cross is the domain of endurance athletes and with it's long road sections, roadies in some part) Anyway, I figured I had a shot.
As we ladies were lining up for the start, a loop of the previous day's Iron Cross Lite course, I heard something I've never heard before. My name. I was getting a call-up because I had finished in the top 10 last year! And we're off. I had a decent start but once we hit the hiker-biker path, I kind of died. I don't know what happened but my legs did not want to work. I got passed by a couple of girls but I kept them in my sights. I knew once I got warmed-up I'd be ok and probably pass them back.
And that's exactly what happened. I started to feel good and what do you know? Up ahead I could see Enser. When I caught her I told her to pick it up, we had women to catch. I was thinking we could work together, but unfortunately the technical rocky single track was looming. Once we hit this part of the course, Enser took off again and I was reduced to walking my bike. Not too far, but enough to let her get out of sight. I don't know what it is about that section of trail. It's perfectly ridable... ON MY MOUNTAIN BIKE! I just don't feel comfortable riding it on my cross bike.
Fast forward to Checkpoint 2 at the top of a nasty 10 minute hike-a-bike. I cruise thru the checkpoint and start a fast gravel road descent. Here's a little known fact about me. I am a good descender. I know it's a shocker because I earned my nickname (Chicken) for my habit of walking my bike anytime the trails get tough, but all that fire road riding out in West Virginia has payed-off. Up ahead I can see Spaznogle and I am catching her fast. But then it happens. In a split second, I have to make my decision. You see, Spaz missed a turn and continued down the gravel road. We were supposed to turn right off the gravel road and onto a single track climb. It wasn't well marked and anyone could have missed it. Now here is the thing that I've been getting flack for. I went after her. I had to. And once I explain, you will see that it was kind of selfish, not selfless. You see, one of my goals was to beat Spaz. Knowing that she had gone off course, if I had not gone after her I would be riddled with self-doubt. Plus Spaz is a friend and deserves her own sportsmanship award (more on this later). It also helped that I knew I was not in a podium postion (only top 5 this year) and that my time was good. I was on a 5 hour finish at this point. 1.5 miles later I finally catch her and tell her she's lost, that we need to turn around and climb (ugh!) back up to the turn. She's so grateful she almost cries!
Now Spaz and I are sistahs! We ride together (well, I did have to wait up for her after another gnarly gravel road descent) to Checkpoint 3. After the checkpoint I somehow lost her on the Worst Climb Ever (she may have stopped to refuel while I cruised thru the checkpoint). It's one of those climbs that never ends. Even when you think you see the top, it's a false summit. At this point I'm pretty much alone, passing some guys every now and then. I make it to Checkpoint 4 and start negotiating another section of single-track and it's here that I think I lost time. Somehow before the final hike-a-bike I am caught by a couple of women, Spaz included. But I also happen to catch Enser right before the walk-up. Can you believe it? We are all together with less than 10 miles to the finish. After the walk-up, we have another gravel road descent and then it's all paved (4 miles) to the finish. I feel confident that I can take Spaz... I had been descending better and the road sections are my strength. BUT, Enser on the other hand... she had blown me away in the technical section earlier and is a roadie too. I've got to keep my eye on her. We hit the pavement, the three of us and I am on the front. It's rolling hills and as we approach the first hill they come around me but I get on their wheels. Then Enser attacks and gets a gap. I can't let that happen so I take off after her. Unfortunately (or fortunately!) Spaz can't hold my wheel. I catch Enser about halfway up the next hill. She's not a good climber and I'm coming on fast so I actually hit her rear wheel. Oops, my bad. I decide to go around her, not really attack, just keep my tempo. She shifts to find the right gear to go with me and then I hear it. Her chain drops! I attack. It's now or never. I don't even know if I have a gap. Sometimes you can get your chain back on without stopping and lose very little time. Well, I was not taking any chances by looking back. I was going for it. I make the right turn onto the gravel climb up to the camp. Just have to get to the top, but NO! They are routing us thru the "death spiral" that they used for yesterday's race. I hear my name. My friends at the finish line are all in a frenzy yelling and screaming for me. 62 miles and it's come down to this!!! As I am working my way thru the spiral I can see Enser and Spaz and realize that I've got it! I finish by displaying perfect barrier technique, even remounting for the ride across the line.
What a great race. And I met all of my goals. I beat my time from last year (handily, even with going off course), and I finished ahead of Enser and Spaz placing 11th. And here's a little word on karma. Yes, I must have some good karma coming my way because I helped Spaz get back on course, but she is the Karma Queen and also the recipient of the Jens Voight Sportsmanship Award. Apparently some guy had crashed right in front of her during that gravel descent. She could have kept going, but stopped to help him out, sacrificing her race. And then another guy crashes at the exact same spot. Turns out there was a hidden rock and I later found out that Cara crashed there too. Anyway, Spaz helped both of these guys while other racers whizzed by. She's a true champion.
As for Sonja's race, well, she's a winner! I'll try to post her race report later.
Results here.
But back to my blog. Yes, Saturday Sonja and I drove the "Elephant" up to PA for the longest cross race in the US, Iron Cross. 62 miles of pure, sweet, unadulterated h, e, double toothpicks. We were staying with friends that had a cabin 10 miles from Camp Thompson so we headed there and Harlow cooked up a spectacular dinner of stuffed pork loin, potatoes, and string beans. Paul had already prepared a chicken pasta dish with artichoke hearts. Needless to say, we ate well, then off to bed for a good night's sleep.
Race morning and I'm really not nervous. I had finished Iron Cross last year as a joy ride, and had done well, earning 10th place without even trying. This year, my goals were threefold: 1. better my previous year's time 2. beat Enser (a little friendly competition that started at Altoona) and 3. beat Spaznogle (she's beaten me in every cross race this year, but Iron Cross is the domain of endurance athletes and with it's long road sections, roadies in some part) Anyway, I figured I had a shot.
As we ladies were lining up for the start, a loop of the previous day's Iron Cross Lite course, I heard something I've never heard before. My name. I was getting a call-up because I had finished in the top 10 last year! And we're off. I had a decent start but once we hit the hiker-biker path, I kind of died. I don't know what happened but my legs did not want to work. I got passed by a couple of girls but I kept them in my sights. I knew once I got warmed-up I'd be ok and probably pass them back.
And that's exactly what happened. I started to feel good and what do you know? Up ahead I could see Enser. When I caught her I told her to pick it up, we had women to catch. I was thinking we could work together, but unfortunately the technical rocky single track was looming. Once we hit this part of the course, Enser took off again and I was reduced to walking my bike. Not too far, but enough to let her get out of sight. I don't know what it is about that section of trail. It's perfectly ridable... ON MY MOUNTAIN BIKE! I just don't feel comfortable riding it on my cross bike.
Fast forward to Checkpoint 2 at the top of a nasty 10 minute hike-a-bike. I cruise thru the checkpoint and start a fast gravel road descent. Here's a little known fact about me. I am a good descender. I know it's a shocker because I earned my nickname (Chicken) for my habit of walking my bike anytime the trails get tough, but all that fire road riding out in West Virginia has payed-off. Up ahead I can see Spaznogle and I am catching her fast. But then it happens. In a split second, I have to make my decision. You see, Spaz missed a turn and continued down the gravel road. We were supposed to turn right off the gravel road and onto a single track climb. It wasn't well marked and anyone could have missed it. Now here is the thing that I've been getting flack for. I went after her. I had to. And once I explain, you will see that it was kind of selfish, not selfless. You see, one of my goals was to beat Spaz. Knowing that she had gone off course, if I had not gone after her I would be riddled with self-doubt. Plus Spaz is a friend and deserves her own sportsmanship award (more on this later). It also helped that I knew I was not in a podium postion (only top 5 this year) and that my time was good. I was on a 5 hour finish at this point. 1.5 miles later I finally catch her and tell her she's lost, that we need to turn around and climb (ugh!) back up to the turn. She's so grateful she almost cries!
Now Spaz and I are sistahs! We ride together (well, I did have to wait up for her after another gnarly gravel road descent) to Checkpoint 3. After the checkpoint I somehow lost her on the Worst Climb Ever (she may have stopped to refuel while I cruised thru the checkpoint). It's one of those climbs that never ends. Even when you think you see the top, it's a false summit. At this point I'm pretty much alone, passing some guys every now and then. I make it to Checkpoint 4 and start negotiating another section of single-track and it's here that I think I lost time. Somehow before the final hike-a-bike I am caught by a couple of women, Spaz included. But I also happen to catch Enser right before the walk-up. Can you believe it? We are all together with less than 10 miles to the finish. After the walk-up, we have another gravel road descent and then it's all paved (4 miles) to the finish. I feel confident that I can take Spaz... I had been descending better and the road sections are my strength. BUT, Enser on the other hand... she had blown me away in the technical section earlier and is a roadie too. I've got to keep my eye on her. We hit the pavement, the three of us and I am on the front. It's rolling hills and as we approach the first hill they come around me but I get on their wheels. Then Enser attacks and gets a gap. I can't let that happen so I take off after her. Unfortunately (or fortunately!) Spaz can't hold my wheel. I catch Enser about halfway up the next hill. She's not a good climber and I'm coming on fast so I actually hit her rear wheel. Oops, my bad. I decide to go around her, not really attack, just keep my tempo. She shifts to find the right gear to go with me and then I hear it. Her chain drops! I attack. It's now or never. I don't even know if I have a gap. Sometimes you can get your chain back on without stopping and lose very little time. Well, I was not taking any chances by looking back. I was going for it. I make the right turn onto the gravel climb up to the camp. Just have to get to the top, but NO! They are routing us thru the "death spiral" that they used for yesterday's race. I hear my name. My friends at the finish line are all in a frenzy yelling and screaming for me. 62 miles and it's come down to this!!! As I am working my way thru the spiral I can see Enser and Spaz and realize that I've got it! I finish by displaying perfect barrier technique, even remounting for the ride across the line.
What a great race. And I met all of my goals. I beat my time from last year (handily, even with going off course), and I finished ahead of Enser and Spaz placing 11th. And here's a little word on karma. Yes, I must have some good karma coming my way because I helped Spaz get back on course, but she is the Karma Queen and also the recipient of the Jens Voight Sportsmanship Award. Apparently some guy had crashed right in front of her during that gravel descent. She could have kept going, but stopped to help him out, sacrificing her race. And then another guy crashes at the exact same spot. Turns out there was a hidden rock and I later found out that Cara crashed there too. Anyway, Spaz helped both of these guys while other racers whizzed by. She's a true champion.
As for Sonja's race, well, she's a winner! I'll try to post her race report later.
Results here.
Sunday, October 7, 2007
This is Sonja.
This is a mouse.
Right now there's a war going on between these two. Let me explain. 2 weeks ago she saw a mouse in the apartment. I was not really surprised as I had seen a squirrel run into the apartment (then turn around) just a few days earlier. Maybe he had chased the mouse into the apartment? We bought a Havahart trap, you know, the kind that doesn't kill them, more like "catch and release". Well, we succeeded in catching the mouse and Sonja released him in the alley across the street. Problem solved, right? Well no. I found some mouse poop the other day so we obviously have another mouse. Keep in mind that I have never seen mice in the apartment. They have chosen to torment Sonja instead. The first one revealed itself by running across her feet one morning in the bathroom. Then she saw it scurrying across her bedroom floor the next morning. The latest visitor has only shown himself once, and of course to Sonja. We have set the trap again using the same bait, but he seems uninterested in it. I think he witnessed his buddy caught in trap all night and is on to us.
Who will win this battle? I'll have to keep you posted.
This is a mouse.
Right now there's a war going on between these two. Let me explain. 2 weeks ago she saw a mouse in the apartment. I was not really surprised as I had seen a squirrel run into the apartment (then turn around) just a few days earlier. Maybe he had chased the mouse into the apartment? We bought a Havahart trap, you know, the kind that doesn't kill them, more like "catch and release". Well, we succeeded in catching the mouse and Sonja released him in the alley across the street. Problem solved, right? Well no. I found some mouse poop the other day so we obviously have another mouse. Keep in mind that I have never seen mice in the apartment. They have chosen to torment Sonja instead. The first one revealed itself by running across her feet one morning in the bathroom. Then she saw it scurrying across her bedroom floor the next morning. The latest visitor has only shown himself once, and of course to Sonja. We have set the trap again using the same bait, but he seems uninterested in it. I think he witnessed his buddy caught in trap all night and is on to us.
Who will win this battle? I'll have to keep you posted.
The Good, the Bad, and the Really Ugly
The Good. Hagerstown AVC Cross Race. B Race at 10 am. Foggy, wet and a course with about a hundred tight, twisty turns with one of those being a downhill offcamber. Things were going well. I had a good start and was in the lead group that had separated itself from the rest of the field. Unfortunately I had the most inopportune crash. I was sitting on Spaznogle's wheel when I went down in the sand pit. Her coach happened to be right there when it happened and promptly starting shouting to her "Attack! Attack! She's down! Go for it!". She was able to open up a 20 second gap which I was unable to close. I'm told that I was gaining on her but it didn't matter. Second place, but one step up on the podium from last week. Pretty good.
The Bad. Hagerstown AVC Cross Race. A Race at 1:30. After eating a hot dog, chips, and downing a Gatorade I was "ready" for the A race. The course was riding differently now that it had warmed up and was sunny. Instead of being slick and wet, the turns were dry and dusty. No problem, I actually prefer that. At the start I lined up in the back, not wanting to get in anyone's way, and well, that's where I stayed. I actually had a nice start, but then my bike broke. I couldn't shift gears. This problem had cropped up earlier in the B race but I ignored it as it mysteriously corrected itself. But now, in this race, with these fast women, it was important to be in the right gear. I quickly found myself dropped. I signaled for a bike change and made the exchange in the pit. On the next lap, my friends told me they had "fixed" my bike and would I like to make another exchange. Of course I wanted my A bike so I rolled into the pit for a second bike change. Problem is, they had not fixed it. Apparently they couldn't find anything wrong with it and thought I was making excuses. Well, I wasn't making excuses and after the run-up when you really need to drop it down into a big gear, it wouldn't go. I used the rest of the race as a training ride and came in DFL. You figure it out. At least it wasn't DNF.
The Really Ugly? Well my bike is at the shop. Hopefully it will be fixed before Iron Cross this weekend.
Some notes from the day. K Lo had a great race. Diane is known as "Monkey". Charley the Dog ate my Girl Scout Cookies (I won the cookies, a pair of "Mom" socks, and a case of RockStar in the B race). Cross racing hurts. Thanks to Sonja and Jim Wilson for the photos below.
Me on Cynthia's wheel during the opening lap
My remount
Suffering
Suffering some more
Me and Charlie after the races (and after he ate my cookies)
The Bad. Hagerstown AVC Cross Race. A Race at 1:30. After eating a hot dog, chips, and downing a Gatorade I was "ready" for the A race. The course was riding differently now that it had warmed up and was sunny. Instead of being slick and wet, the turns were dry and dusty. No problem, I actually prefer that. At the start I lined up in the back, not wanting to get in anyone's way, and well, that's where I stayed. I actually had a nice start, but then my bike broke. I couldn't shift gears. This problem had cropped up earlier in the B race but I ignored it as it mysteriously corrected itself. But now, in this race, with these fast women, it was important to be in the right gear. I quickly found myself dropped. I signaled for a bike change and made the exchange in the pit. On the next lap, my friends told me they had "fixed" my bike and would I like to make another exchange. Of course I wanted my A bike so I rolled into the pit for a second bike change. Problem is, they had not fixed it. Apparently they couldn't find anything wrong with it and thought I was making excuses. Well, I wasn't making excuses and after the run-up when you really need to drop it down into a big gear, it wouldn't go. I used the rest of the race as a training ride and came in DFL. You figure it out. At least it wasn't DNF.
The Really Ugly? Well my bike is at the shop. Hopefully it will be fixed before Iron Cross this weekend.
Some notes from the day. K Lo had a great race. Diane is known as "Monkey". Charley the Dog ate my Girl Scout Cookies (I won the cookies, a pair of "Mom" socks, and a case of RockStar in the B race). Cross racing hurts. Thanks to Sonja and Jim Wilson for the photos below.
Me on Cynthia's wheel during the opening lap
My remount
Suffering
Suffering some more
Me and Charlie after the races (and after he ate my cookies)
Friday, October 5, 2007
Looking forward to the Weekend
This weekend brings yet another cross race. I had considered skipping this one because I don't like the course, or at least I didn't like the course they used last year. Too short, too many flats, got lapped by the lead men, off-camber downhill turns, just to name a few of the reasons; however, it's the Breast Cancer Awareness Cross Challenge, so... not only am I racing the B race, I will also toe the line in the A's and race with the big girls. Not only do I get to race and hopefully have fun, it's all for a good cause. What could be better? Now if I just had pink handlebar tape.
Sunday I want to visit the Green Festival. Maybe I can learn how to be more green.
I also plan on getting that new car this weekend, but I will most likely pick it up on Monday, which by the way is Columbus Day and I don't have to work!
Sunday I want to visit the Green Festival. Maybe I can learn how to be more green.
I also plan on getting that new car this weekend, but I will most likely pick it up on Monday, which by the way is Columbus Day and I don't have to work!
Tuesday, October 2, 2007
Clinic'n and Cross'n
This past weekend was shock full of activity. Saturday was the cross clinic put on by NCVC, my former bike club. I was surprised to arrive and find Dee Dee, aka the Thrill from Charlottesville, 8 months pregnant. I had been wondering why she was absent from the race scene as she tore it up last year and capped her season with a trip to Worlds in Belgium. The other ladies' instructor was Cara, no slouch cross racer herself. The 6 women that attended the clinic couldn't have asked for more...6 hours of personal instruction from 2 of the best women out there. We worked mostly on drills and finished the day with some hot laps on the course. While we were practicing starts, I had a spectacular crash while fighting with Spaznogle for the hole shot, the result of which was a broken front deraileur. I managed to get to the shop in time for it to be fixed before Sunday's race, but ironically, it didn't matter much.
Sunday morning had a chill in the air and the normal butterflies in my stomach. I arrived at the race venue and parked next to Diane and Marc and was immediately surrounded by their cult-like group, which I took as good luck. After warming-up a bit on the course I arrived at the start line early to ensure a good starting position, but it was not to be. I once again wound up on the second row, and once again behind Diane. Diane is a great starter, but I cannot say the same for the others lined up on the front. The gun goes off and almost instantly there is pushing and shoving and a near crash right in front of me. I back off the gas content to let the others fight it out and wind up near the back of the pack going into the prologue lap, but no worries. I know this course and proceed to pass lots of women by taking the perfect lines thru the turns in the pond section. On the gravel road section I pushed harder and slotted into 4th place. Cynthia and Kristina were right in front of me and I bided my time and kept up the tempo. Approaching 2 laps to go I caught and passed Cynthia and told her to get on my wheel. Kristina was 10 seconds ahead, but try as I might, I could not catch her. I got the gap down to 9 seconds, but it was not to be. I ended the day 3rd and happy about it. I beat Kristina by 10 seconds at Charm City, and now it was her time to return the favor, beating me by the same 10 seconds this week.
Oh, and here's the ironic thing about rushing to get my bike fixed on Saturday, breaking all kinds of traffic laws to get to the shop before it closed. I used my big chain ring only once during the entire race... during the start. As soon as I hit the grass, I shifted down to the small ring and that's where I stayed. Maybe I should consider a single ring set-up???
Podium shot thanks to Jim Wilson.
These are fuzzy. I stole them from Dennis. They are not fuzzy on his web site.
Another picture here.
Sunday morning had a chill in the air and the normal butterflies in my stomach. I arrived at the race venue and parked next to Diane and Marc and was immediately surrounded by their cult-like group, which I took as good luck. After warming-up a bit on the course I arrived at the start line early to ensure a good starting position, but it was not to be. I once again wound up on the second row, and once again behind Diane. Diane is a great starter, but I cannot say the same for the others lined up on the front. The gun goes off and almost instantly there is pushing and shoving and a near crash right in front of me. I back off the gas content to let the others fight it out and wind up near the back of the pack going into the prologue lap, but no worries. I know this course and proceed to pass lots of women by taking the perfect lines thru the turns in the pond section. On the gravel road section I pushed harder and slotted into 4th place. Cynthia and Kristina were right in front of me and I bided my time and kept up the tempo. Approaching 2 laps to go I caught and passed Cynthia and told her to get on my wheel. Kristina was 10 seconds ahead, but try as I might, I could not catch her. I got the gap down to 9 seconds, but it was not to be. I ended the day 3rd and happy about it. I beat Kristina by 10 seconds at Charm City, and now it was her time to return the favor, beating me by the same 10 seconds this week.
Oh, and here's the ironic thing about rushing to get my bike fixed on Saturday, breaking all kinds of traffic laws to get to the shop before it closed. I used my big chain ring only once during the entire race... during the start. As soon as I hit the grass, I shifted down to the small ring and that's where I stayed. Maybe I should consider a single ring set-up???
Podium shot thanks to Jim Wilson.
These are fuzzy. I stole them from Dennis. They are not fuzzy on his web site.
Another picture here.
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