2013 MABRA Age Graded RR Championship: Into each life some rain must fall.

Race Report

Dana Stryk

Evolution Cycling p/b Long and Foster

                      

Races	Shenandoah Time Trial and Miller School Road Race
Date	July 27 and 28
Field	6 and 15
Field Demographics	W1/2 and W35+/45+
Weather	Sunny, Rain, Locusts and other Plagues
Topography	Hilly

Title for this novella:  “Into each life some rain must fall.”

Saturday, July 27^th, Shenandoah TT, 40K of hills with a ceramic pig, tractors and VA championship on the line.

The Shenandoah TT, host to the VA State TT Senior Championships, is one of three road race events promoted by Chris Gould.  Each time I race in one of his events, I think to myself….”I should come back to the Luray area and just ride so I can enjoy the beautiful scenery.”  The rolling hills and surrounding countryside are beautiful and the hospitality of the region second to none.  For example, at registration, the Mayor of Shenandoah, VA was on hand to welcome each person to his town. 

I really like this course.  Unlike Church Creek, the terrain changes from climbing to false flat to downhill.  After winding through a neighborhood, you hit the main road with rolling hills and a wicked false flat that convinces you that your fitness is poor, your tires are flatting and you are better off spending Saturdays on the couch.

The race report:  I started, I suffered, and then it was over.  I knew going into the event, there were three women that are faster than me and two that I could beat.  Amanda (ABRT) passed me early on in true Amanda fashion – on her road bike looking like she was having fun.  I caught my 30 sec person and gained ground on my 1m30sec person.  For the first time in a time trial, Katy (ABRT) did not pass me. Before you want to know my TT training plan, you must remember….start times were alphabetical and I started after her….

I ended up 4^th overall and the silver medalist in the W1/2 VA State TT Championship.

Sunday, July 27^th, Miller School Road Race:  MABRA and VA State Age-Graded Road Race Championships, 30+ miles of hills, and an interesting dance by Mr. Katy Giles aka Scott.

For this race, the 35+ and 45+ women would race together but be scored separately for the MABRA and VA State RR Championship with medals and a jersey at stake.  Last year, Sue (ABRT) was off the front to win the 35+ race and a last lap attack by Katy (ABRT) splintered the field with Chris (Kenda) winning the 45+ race.  I ended up 9^th overall (thanks to my now teammate, Wendy, who yelled at me to get on her wheel after Katy attacked and descended like a mad woman to get us back to the main field), 4^th in the 45+ race and the gold medal for VA 45+.

This year my goal was the MABRA RR Championship jersey for W45+.  I expected the race for the 35+ jersey would be intense, with Katy (ABRT), Sue (ABRT), Mary (NCVC), Michele (unattached), Jenette (Jeff’s Bike Shop), Ali (Velocita) and Wendy in the field.  Hopefully I could use that to my advantage.  For my race, I had to watch Chris (Kenda) and make sure that I knew her location in the pack to make sure that she did not get into a break without me.  In the race I was lucky to have two teammates, Wendy and Christine.  Hopefully amongst the three of us we could bring home a jersey and some medals for Evo.

We roll out and start the first climb.  A strong rider whose name I do not know, also in the 35+ race, set the pace for most of the early portion of the lap.  A couple of ABRT attacks were unsuccessful and we turned onto the steep climb on the road prior to the finish line climb.  Katy is at the front of the group and accelerates up the hill as raindrops start to fall.  I think…Sufferfest one-minute Revolver interval #15 effort (the one with the dinosaur chasing)…keep the wheel.  As I am about to die, I look behind and realize that I am the back of the pack…there are 5 of us and more rain drops.

As we look up the road, we could see the rain.  Not a gentle, this is a refreshing kind of rain but more of a, “look, the animals are lining up two by two should we be concerned” kind of rain.   Upon cresting the hill, the race changes from fear of attacks to fears of crashing.   When I attempted to slow my descent, braking met zero resistance.  Not good. 

Thank goodness for the finish line hill….we had a chance to wipe our eyes, reposition glasses and breathe a sigh of relief.  Scott, Katy’s husband who was planning to feed ABRT, switched modes and provided an interpretive dance as we crested the hill that sadly was, in fact, a THUNDER dance.

 Another scary downhill.  Sue bridges up and we are six in total and I am the oldest in the group….the only 45+.  If I can stay away and stay upright, I will meet my goal.  The rain lightens and soon stops.  Thank God.

Then the Thunder God, upon seeing Scott’s dance, decided to send the storm back over the course with the extra effect of thunder.  The second downpour was heavier than the first and I had to spill as much speed as I could at the top of every hill, dropping me from the main break.  Now there are 4 in front.  For most of the remaining lap, I could see the final four but could not bridge the gap…when I would make progress, a downhill would loom and I would slow down again.

I rode with the aforementioned unknown 35+ woman and let her pull me up the first part of the final hill.  I sprinted around her and across the line….5^th in the combined field and 1^st in the 45+ race.  Christine joined me on the podium in third place.  Emily, one of our junior women also added to the Evo jersey collection, suffering through the same conditions to emerge the Junior 17-18 Champion.

Lessons Learned:

Check weather report before a race and pick wheel set accordingly.

Kudos and Shout-outs

Scott Giles:  Your silly dance lightened the race for a second or two…..just next time, make sure it is a SUN dance!

Chris Gould and the town of Shenandoah:  Thanks for a great race in an amazing venue.

CA:   For another great weekend of racing with the SWagon….and understanding my need for Starbucks regardless of the time of day.

2013 Lost River Classic: The Hills are alive with the Sound of Music: Unfortunately for you, I am the one singing.

Race Report

Dana Stryk

Evolution Cycling p/b Long and Foster

                      

Races	Lost River Classic Road Race
Date	July 20
Field	very small (13 including the 4 field)
Field Demographics	W1/2/3 racing with W4
Weather	Sunny, hot and humid
Topography	Hilly

Title for this novella:  “The Hills are alive with the Sound of Music:  Unfortunately for you, I am the one singing.”

Saturday, July 20^th, Lost River Road Race, Mathias, WV.  2 ¾ laps, 2 climbs, uphill finish.

Prior to Saturday, the last time I raced the Lost River Classic was during the inaugural year.  That year the women’s field was very small, I was a Cat 3 who spent all her time climbing, the top of the second climb had a cheering section complete with drums, I finished 7^th overall after being dropped on the more technical descent after the finish line climb on the second lap.

What a difference a few years make.

Fast forward to 2013:  The field was even smaller, there was no cheering section, and I was popped on a climb.

The W1/2/3 field consisted of 3 women and yours truly.  Prior to the race, my plan was to to move to the front do a few 1 minute efforts to try and break up the field. If a few of us to get away, we would stay away.  As we rolled from the neutral start and made a left turn onto the course, we turned straight into a headwind…I hate wind.  I knew trying to get away in a wind would be a losing battle so I decided to let the hill do the work for me.

We hit the finish hill (the start and finish are different….from the start, you complete about ½ or ¾ of a lap before crossing the finish line) and the massive 1/2/3 field of four gaps the W4 women.  With the descent we have a gap that is probably safe.  We hit the second hill – which is longer and a stair-step….which I forgot.  Kat (North Tek) danced up the hill with an amazing cadence with Mary (NCVC) on her wheel.  I could not match her acceleration and the loud pop that echoed through the valley was me going backwards, not heard since John T. Mathias left for the Civil War.  On a hill…..for goodness sake I’ve conquered Alpe d’Huez, Galibier, Tourmalet, Ventoux, la Bonette and many others.  Grrrr. The 10% grade on Berry Mountain got me.  I cracked like Contador on Stage 18….you get the picture.  But I was not alone.

Diedre (CAWES) and I, joined at times by the leader of the WC4 race, who seemed scared to stay on our wheel (I later learned she did not want to interfere with our race – her words.) worked together but could not close the gap on Mary and Kat.

On the final lap, I began building my race strategy for third place.  At the Frederick crit, I knew I needed to sprint early, since my competitors there, Chris and Michele, were more powerful shorter sprinters.  For this race, the hill was steep, normally my strength.  However,  my 2013 season goals had an emphasis on crit training.  The long days of Skyline and Howard County rides had been substituted with lots of Anaerobic Capacity intervals, great for crits but had weakened my inner billy goat.  At 200m to go, the hill kicks up to the steepest part.  I accelerated and sprinted up that part to realize I jumped too early.  Shortly thereafter, Diedre jumps.  I waited a second or two – then started catching her, for she had slowed toward the top.  I had waited too long, for she was across the line before me by a matter of inches.

Lessons Learned:

As I do the Should-a, Would-a, Could-a for the race, I concluded that I raced the best that I could.  CA pulled up my power file, we looked for point in time in which my heart trumped my legs, but it wasn’t there.  Simply, I could not match the early acceleration and the better climber won. 

The genesis of my blog title….The hills were alive and very painful….like being in the room with me if I sing….

Kudos and Shout-outs

Vic, Geoff, Ray and Mike:  It was great to watch the end of your race....and a great Evo Master's Men showing.
NCVC Race Marshalls:  Excellent example of how to manage a road race, especially the gentleman who flagged our right turn with an arabesque.

Motor Ref for the W Race:  Thanks for all the time split updates!

CA:   Thank you for doing a race that you swore never ever to do again.  Weekends in the Race Vehicle are so much fun….

Lost River, WV:  What a beautiful area....from the cows I saw swimming to the eagles flying at dusk....I can't wait to return.

2013 July 4th Racing Weekend: A Gu-ey Mess (and lots of fun)

Race Report

Dana Stryk

Evolution Cycling p/b Long and Foster

                      

Races	Chesco Road Race Hagerstown MABRA Senior Crit Championship Frederick MABRA Age-Grade Crit Championship
Date	July 4, July 6, July 7
Field	35, 15, 8
Field Demographics	W1/2/3, W1/2, W45+
Weather	Sunny, hot and humid for all races

Title for this novella:  “A Gu-ey Mess”

Thursday, July 4^th:  Chesco Road Race, 53 miles, 4 laps, hills, heat, Gu on my leg, and Root Beer.

With a holiday in the middle of the week, CA and I headed to Pennsylvania for a road race on the 4^th.  I was joined by Kelley for a 53 mile road race with rolling hills.  Three other MABRA women joined the field, Amanda and Sue from ABRT and Deirdre from CAWES.  The race was also the PA RR Championship, so the field was quite large.

It was odd to line up with a bunch of unfamiliar jerseys. Prior to the start, the one team well represented, Peanut Butter & Co (PBC), had a team meeting on the side of the road.  I knew of one of their riders, Patty Buerkle, and expected that, given the Championship nature of the event and their numbers, Kelley and I expected some pain.  The heat, distance and it was a championship = a tough couple of hours.

Very happy to be finished!

We started the race and I moved toward the front.  With a large PBC, I told myself to stay off of the front….absolutely no reason to pull the field. Prior to the race, CA told me that any break with more than two, I needed to cover.  Anything smaller, to let go up the road.

I waited.  Nothing happened.  On the final kilometer of the lap, there is a steep hill and that would break up the field, more from different climbing abilities than someone attacking.  Prior to the race, I was worried about nutrition.  Since our Evo jersey pockets are tall and skinny, I put some chocolate Gu, already opened, inside the right leg of my bib shorts…sadly, the wrong direction….and my leg started leaking Gu on the second lap.  Kelley, in a bit of panic, surged up to me and asked what I had done….I found out later that for about a lap, the field thought I was bleeding from my leg.  That was about the most exciting part of the race……

To make a boring race report short:  The race was notable for the lack of attacks and some unsteady pace-setting, unpredictable bike handling, and interesting definition of the yellow-line rule (Amanda, Sue and I watched as someone in front of the moto advanced about 10 spots by moving left of the line and nothing happened.)  I found the front of the pack actually sketchier than the back.  By the end of the race, I just wanted it to be over.

I failed to move up enough before the final turn and ended up 20^th, as the hill broke up the group which was one blob at the start of the climb.  Kelley cramped badly on the start of the final lap, rode 2 miles out of the saddle until her adductor would allow her to sit, and managed to outsprint several others for 24^th.

Saturday, July 6^th:  MABRA Senior Crit Championships, 0.6 mile loop, 45 minutes.

Trying to stay out of the sun before the race.

For the crit championships, the W1/2 would race with the W3, scored separately.  For Evo, this meant 6 total in the race and for the first time this season, we could try to control the tempo of the race.  We had a very macro-level plan…launch attack and counter attack.  With 2 or 3 to go in the race, if there was not a break, I would try to get away, since the field was filled with three women who, in a sprint, would beat me.  If the group was together at the end, Kelley would be our sprinter.

The course was mostly flat…from the start/finish, a straight section, left turn to a very slight upward slope followed by a sweeping 120 degree turn, more straight, left turn, left turn, start/finish.  The person in 1^st or 2^nd around that turn would win   A couple of potholes or rough surface, all well marked with lots of arrows giving the group plenty of time to get around the spot. 

The whistle blows and Christine attacks.  Caught.  Wendy attacks.  Caught.  Kelley.  Caught.  Gwenn attacks and Ainhoa chases her down.  Tania.  Caught.  The author.  Caught.  Rotating attacks and counter attacks.  We were working well as a team.  BAMMMMMMMMMMMMMM.

Podium time!

I knew that sound.  Someone crashed in the 120 degree turn.  Heart starts pounding.  I did not want to go through the corner with the group, so I moved to the front and made a little gap for the first left turn and went through that corner alone.  Two riders on the ground and Gwenn standing up.  I put my head down and kept going, fighting the urge to stop, help was there, nothing for me to do except be in the way.  With 8 laps to go, I thought…this is two laps at Hains Point.  All out.  Keep going.  Then the race changed.  Those two riders were seriously hurt and the officials shortened the race from 8 to 2 laps to go.  I was caught and gassed without time for recovery to try and get away with 2 to go….. my plan was over, now I need to help setup the sprint, we still had sprinters in the mix.

It came down to a field sprint.  While we did not walk away with a jersey, we did collect several podium spots and $$.  Tania and Gwenn were 3^rd and 5^th in the W3.  Kelley, Wendy, Christine and I finished 4^th, 5^th, 8^th and 6^th, respectively.

Miraculously, the two injured riders were released from the hospital Sunday afternoon. 

July 7^th:  MABRA Age-Graded Crit Championships, 30 minutes, flat and fast course with smooth roads and open corners.

When I registered for this event, I failed to notice the 30 minute aspect of the race.   I started making jokes to myself….”What, we can’t last more the 30 minutes of racing.”  A male racing friend commented, “Well, your crits are kinda boring to watch…”  Oh yeah?  Let’s see what we can do….

The field was combined 35+/45+, scored separately.  The start line was at the bottom of the only incline (to call it a hill insults hills everywhere, even in Fayetteville, NC, my hometown, where the Strava KOM is a highway overpass) followed by a right turn.  CA, in his continued attempts to give me a race strategy that I would actually execute, suggested to treat the start as a CX hole shot and go from the gun.  Try to get 50 TSS in those 30  minutes.  If caught, attack again.  Make the goal to lap the field.

We line up with a couple of women missing due injuries from crashes.  I know this race was important to Cat, who is slowly recovering from injuries making any race-induced pain truly meaningless.  I hoped to make her proud of the race.

The whistle blows and I channel my inner CX and go.  I have a break and stay away for about 2 laps, chased down by Chris (Kenda).  As I am caught, Christine attacks.  Caught.  Gwenn attacks.  Away for about 2 laps and caught.  Chris and Michele (unattached) also attack.  We have a race.

At some point on the start/finish leg of the course, I counter as Tania was caught by the field and got away with Chris and Michele.  With a small gap on the field, we immediately starting rotating and the gap widened….a huge thanks to Christine, Gwenn and Tania for helping make that stick.

With 8 to go, we lapped the field.  At some point prior to that, Christine attacked successfully and was soloing on the lead lap.  So Evo had 1^st or 2^nd AND 3^rd locked up in the 45+ race.  I wanted to make it 1^st and 3^rd.

We lapped the field on a corner which put us all together again.  The three leaders moved to the front and we continued working together to keep the pace high at the front.  As a weak sprinter, I wanted a clear shot to the line and not have the rest of the field to negotiate.  From our rotating in the break, I saw that third wheel into the final turn gave too much of a gap for my sprint to overcome, so I went through that corner first and started my sprint.  Chris sprints quiet well and I knew that waiting would not be good for me.  I narrowly beat Chris at the line for 1^st in the 45+.   Evo finished 1^st, 3^rd and 5^th (Gwenn) in the 45+ and 2^nd (Tania) in the 35+.

After the race, Joe Jefferson thanked me for racing.  At first, I thought he meant showing up at the event.  Then I realized he meant actually trying to win from the get go and not taking a Sunday ride in the (industrial) park.

Holding Chris' place on the podium with her medal.

2 nights at the Yogi Bear Camp Ground
necessitates a foto.

Lessons Learned:

CX hole shots are better when they are in a crit….I don’t have to dismount…..

Offense is better than defense.

After executing CA’s race plan for the first time and placing well, I think I should retire…. Or start listening to him.  I think retiring may be the better option….I don’t listen well.

Kudos and Shout-outs

Wendy, Kelley, Christine, Tania and Gwenn:  That was a fun Saturday…next year we are on top of the picnic table.  And….you all show why the women’s field is a family…for easing the worry of our two injured fellow racers by transporting bikes and cars to the hospital.

Chris and Michele:  That was a fun race on Sunday.  I enjoyed every minute of it.

Joe Jefferson:  The Sunday venue….I cannot believe I will say this about a flat crit….is great.  Nice roads and corners.

CA:  Glad you didn’t pass out when I actually executed the plan.  Seeing you constantly try to break your field in your races finally made me try something.

Cat:  You made me race. I got us a medal.

2013 Warrior 50 Road Race: In a Matter of Moments

Race Report

Dana Stryk

Evolution Cycling p/b Long and Foster

                      

Race	Warrior 50 Road Race
Date	June 29th
Field	11
Field Demographics	W1/2/3
Weather	Sunny, hot and humid

Title for this novella:  “In a matter of moments”

Usually one of my favorite things about racing is writing a race report.  In fact, I wish a market existed where people outsourced this task to others for monetary compensation.  Until that time, given my tastes for Zipp wheels, I will have to keep the thought of writing professionally a dream and my career as a dismal scientist a reality.

I qualified my statement with the word “usually” because of an email I read late last night.  In a matter of moments, all the witty things I wanted to write (well, witty in my mind at least) about the road race on Saturday simply did not seem worthwhile.  On my phone, I saw an email from Tara about a bike crash that involved someone with whom I have raced since we were both Cat 4s several years ago.  For those of you on the MABRA list serve, you know to whom I refer.  To read of her serious injuries made the fact that the heat on Saturday was brutal or I was in the wrong gear on the sprint inconsequential.  I can ride my bike this morning and she cannot.  I can race the MABRA 45+ crit championship race this weekend and she cannot.  I will miss her strength and sweet southern voice at the line.  Any medal I win at that race will be hers, as a placeholder until she is back in the pack, kicking my butt.  A little more than a year ago, her kind words were among those of many who provided comfort when CA crashed and was badly hurt.  Now I can only add similar words and thoughts to many others, heal fast.

Road Warrior 50:  36-ish miles total, 3 loops, hills, double yellow enforcement, hot, humid, llamas.

Lots of Mabra Jerseys.....

The field was very small, only 12 women at the line, and tough with multiple MABRA championship jerseys on display.  The chief referee noted that the double yellow line rule would be strictly enforced since we did not have a rolling enclosure.  For our group, moving around the pack was not a problem, given our small size.  For the men’s races, that would be a bit challenging….especially given the, how shall I say this, “color-blind, geometrically challenged” nature of some in those XY races (translation:  ignoring the double yellow line is more common in men’s races). 

The race started at 1 PM and my bike felt really heavy with two water bottles.  During races I forget to drink, so the 2 bottles was less than I needed but more than I would use.  I am blaming the heat, but my memory of what happened when is a bit blurry.  The race went something like this:

Lap 1:  Various people, including the author, pulled at the front, without any serious attacks to try and get away.  On a couple of the hills, I climbed at my tempo to see what others would do and my fellow billy goats matched the pace.  Mary from Kenda seemed to be particularly billy-goat-ish, with a nice cadence and pop up the hills.  At the end of each lap is a hill, and Wendy rode up next to me at the end of lap 1 to say, “Get off the front.  Get ready for the attack.”

Lap 2:  Katy must have heard her, for attack she did.  Mary from Kenda jumped on her wheel, I followed and there was a brief gap.  Unfortunately brief.  Just as the group caught us, either Ainhoa or Amanda from ABRT (I will call A2) countered.  Caught.  Ride for a while.  Llama. (Added for artistic license…the llamas weren’t on the race route but CA and I saw them on the way to the race).  At some point during this lap, Katy attacked successfully.  Dori (NCVC), Mary (Kenda), and Michelle (unattached) tried to catch but were unsuccessful.  I was not much help at this point due to dead legs from previous chases and the heat.

I noticed the three of them chatting and I wondered if they planned a second break.  My suspicions seemed accurate as Mary (I think) jumped on a hill and the other two joined her.  I went with them and we rotated short pulls but the main group would not let go.

Lap 3:  I assumed that A2 would try to get away and I was right.  There were a couple of attacks on the last lap but nothing stuck.  At one point, our pace was so slow, I worried that the Cat 4 women would catch us (only to learn later that the Cat 4 W race was one lap shorter).  On the second lap, I had picked my spot to start my final sprint….the race ended on a hill which is good for me, except the field was filled with women who I knew could climb.  I wanted to go early so I sat on Amanda’s wheel as we made the final turn. My legs hurt, my lungs hurt, and I wanted a Slurpee.  As I started to climb, I made the decision to do so in the small ring.  Bad choice.  Ainhoa shot up the hill as if launched by a rocket.  Mary did as well.  As I battled for the line, I was spinning out.  I ended up 5^th in the sprint, 6^th overall.  At that point in time, I wanted a shower and a Slurpee and could have cared less about the result.  The next morning, I wanted a do-over sprint with my head better in the game (i.e. try sprinting up the hill in the small ring on the penultimate lap).  Yesterday afternoon, after hearing about that crash, I am just happy to get on my bike later today.

Lessons Learned:
Not sure if I "learned" this one...i.e. if learning = changing behavior but.....I need to improve my hydration/nutrition on the bike.
Start thinking about the finish earlier...i.e., on the 2nd lap, a trial run in the small chain ring up the final hill to determine what I should choose on the final lap.

Kudos and Shout-outs:

Wendy:  Thanks for keeping me calm when I flatted before the race and convincing the boy to change my tire.  Your Giles forecast was spot-on at the end of the first lap.

Mike (aka the Boy):  I know, I know…that glass ceiling thing.  What type of cupcake do you want?  Thanks for fixing my flat since I was sans stuff.

CA:  Congratulations on your top 10 finish!!!!! A girl cannot ask for better race support…after racing your butt off, you stayed to cheer for us with the sun beating down on you. I wish I had the .... to race as you do. 

2013 CCTT and Reston Grand Prix: I am not Gene Kelly!

Race Report

Dana Stryk

Evolution Cycling p/b Long and Foster

Race	Church Creek Time Trial and Reston Grand Prix
Date	June 22nd and 23rd
Field	2 and 20+
Field Demographics	W1/2 and W1/2 racing with W3
Weather	Sunny and RAIN

Title for this novella:  “I am not Gene Kelly”

Saturday, June 22, 2013:  Church Creek Time Trial, Cambridge, MD, 40K, flat with wind.

The weekend began with the Church Creek Time Trial in Cambridge, MD.  Forty kilometers of pain and suffering in the Black Water Wildlife Refuge with a little wind added into the mix was the perfect way to start a beautiful Saturday.  Prior to the race, road-results.com predicted I would finish in 2^nd place for the WCat1/2 behind Katy Giles.  The forecast was accurate.  Before you praise the wonderful race prediction algorithm, keep in mind the following information: (1)  Katy and I comprised the entire field.  (2) Katy easily goes under an hour for this TT.  Last year, I set a PR on the course with 1:04:05. 

With second place locked up and my medal secure, I needed a goal.  Last year I wanted go under 1:04 (well, under an hour, but that is not probable) but fell short by 6 seconds.  The start times for this TT gave a 5 minute break between the last person in the field in front of ours, so I was without rabbits to chase.  Since the TT is totally flat and wind too unpredictable, CA (who doubles as my coach) wanted to ensure that I did not go out too hard or slack between the 20-30K mark, as I am prone to do.  He set my Garmin to use the virtual partner option (which I have called Dave, Garmin Man), set at a 23.5 mph pace.  If I could stay ahead of Dave, I would reach my goal of under 1:03:50.

After a restful night’s sleep in the Race Vehicle, CA and I began the race day prep of coffee, number pickup, wishing we were noodling around the beach on our bikes rather than donning on skinsuits (and the people with whom I work wonder why I pass on doughnuts…the words lycra and skinsuit should explain it), and so on.

After carefully pinning CA’s race number onto his skinsuit while he was wearing it (TOWC number pinning involved some blood and a few interesting words learned perhaps from his Navy days….), CA was off to the races, so to speak, while I waited for my start time.  I rolled to the start, clipped in as some guy held up my bike and waited for the count.

The power file from the TOWC TT showed that my start, for lack of a better phrase, sucked.  I lost about 15 seconds and never back them back. With that in mind, I decided to get ahead of Dave for the first 5K. Go.  I sprint off the line, hit the start button and hit a nice head wind.  Ugh.

Katy passes me reasonably soon, which I expected.  My pace was a couple seconds ahead of the target which made the pain in my legs a little more tolerable.  The second leg of the course, normally quite bumpy, as in knock the Garmin off your bike and your bottle out of the cage kind of bumpy, was reported to be repaved.  The last email from the promoter hinted of PRs to come.  Sadly, most of this road was unchanged, and I watched my lead over Garmin Man shrink until I was behind. I hate TTs!!!!!

Finally the bumpy, makes me want to unhydrate, section was over and I worked on catching Garmin Man.  I pass the 20K marker (thanks to the race promoter who labeled every 5 K….) and was ahead of Dave by 30 seconds.  Could I keep this up?

As the top Men 1/2 passed me, I focused on Garmin Man.  On the third leg of the course, I was making up time.  I would crush Dave.  My feet were tingling and my shoulders sore, but Dave was going down.

A right turn brought me to the final leg which for me is the hardest part of the course. At the end of this road, more than 10K away, is a blue tent and white line where my pain whould end.  At this point, I had a 40 sec lead on Dave but my legs were tired.  When the road was without trees, the wind (real or imagined) seemed to pick up.  At the 10K to go point, I realized that if I could withstand the pain, I would post a decent TT.  With 5K to go, Dave gained some time and my lead was down to 25 seconds. Argggh.  I shifted into a bigger gear, put my head down and stood up to get a little more power.  Yikes.  So tired I forgot I was in my aerobars and I lost a few seconds with a bobble that could have taken me down.  Focus, Stryk.

3K to go.  I focused on increasing time on Dave.  Back up to 28 sec lead. I could see the line.  Attempted sprint.  Finish.  Turn off Garmin.  Wobbly legs take me to the congregation point around the start/finish.  Katy posted an amazing just over 57 minute effort.  I crossed the line, I later learned, in 1:03:01.  While 2 seconds faster would have been amazing….I shaved more than a minute off my TT following a crit-based training plan.  Very pleased.  Thanks to CA and Dave!

A shower and recovery drink in the Race Vehicle and a long wait for results later, CA and I head to Reston for the Reston Grand Prix, my team’s race.

Sunday, June 23, 2013:  Reston Grand Prix, 1 hour criterium, 8 turns, wet pavement, rainy weather, one hill, Joe Jefferson announcing…..

This year’s Reston would be my third.  As a new Cat 3, I raced Reston in the rain and ended up DNF in rainy conditions due a crash in turn 5 which snapped my handlebars, bruised some ribs, cracked my helmet and scared me (I know…what doesn’t scare me?).  Last year was my second Reston race in hot and sunny conditions and was the first time that I ventured out of the back of the peloton.  I ended up 11^th overall, 5^th in the Cat 3 women and popped off the back with one to go.  With a little more confidence after last weekend’s TOWC crit, I wanted to race well in the team-sponsored race.

I don’t mind rain.  As a child, I watched old musicals and became a Gene Kelly fan.  It would rain, I would run out into the driveway, umbrella in hand, and entertain my neighbors with my off-key rendition of “Singing in the Rain” (singing was horrible but…

Had the rain created something like him
in Corner 5, eating cyclists for breakfast?

my rain-splashing tap dance….top notch).  Fast forward many years.  Kelley (Bethoney, not Gene) and I warmed up under the awning of the Race Vehicle.  It was pouring.  Gene Kelly would have modified his song to “I’m singing in the rain.  And headed to the car.  I am not going to be racing.  In this rain it is too hard…”   Reports came in that turn 5 was, and I quote, “eating riders”.  Great.  Maybe it would be too full during our race to bite one of us.

Words cannot adequately express how much I did not want to race.  Other women either changed into street clothes to watch the race or turned around and went home.  We watched a couple of women from Velocita warming up.  One of them, Ali Ingram, wiped out in the parking lot.  Just a little road rash but….she has great handling skills and if riding the parking lot caused her to go down, what would turns 3, 4 and 5 bring to the field?

Kelley and I ride a couple of laps around the course and Wendy joins us.  I think we all have the same thoughts….the wet roads and drizzle have made us all extremely nervous.  CA tells me to go off the front.  I stare at him blankly (thoughts in my head:  to do that, I actually have to start the race.  If I start the race, I will have to continue the race.  I could be sitting in Starbucks).  I am at the line in horrible position.  Kelley is to my right…also in not so good position.  Wendy is to our left with a clear shot to the corner.  The whistle blows and we are off. I have problems clipping into the pedal and the small group swarms around me. 

We make it through turns 1 and 2.  The group is to the left of the double yellow.  I am at the back of the pack, exactly the WRONG place to be.  I ride up the ride side of the road to get toward the front as the aforementioned Ali attacks.  Dori, Michelle, two others and I catch her.  She hammers for the next lap and a half and we have a break.  Due to the rain, I decided to forgo glasses…the spots from raindrops drive me crazy.  This meant that the water from the road and the wheel in front of me went into my eyes.  For the next few laps, I wanted to quit because I could not see very well.  We took turns rotating to the front to widen the gap on the field.  We had success.

At some point the rain let up.  Our group was down to five, with two very good sprinters.  I remember seeing the lap counter at 23 to go and thinking….TWENTY-THREE???  We had a couple of premes, one of which I won. 

The rain took its toll on the race.  As we started to lap riders, we passed several crashes.  Luckily, cases of road rash were the only injuries as far as I know.  As the laps became fewer in number, I contemplated how I could win this race.  The technical nature of the course sets it up for the two sprinters if we are a group after the last turn.  In drier conditions and a sudden influx of courage, I would have tried to get away using the corners to create a gap.  Given the course conditions, I tried to create some distance on the hill on the second to last lap, to no avail.  It would come down to a sprint.  I ended up 4^th overall, 2^nd in the W1/2. Kelley rounded out the top 5 in the W1/2.

Apparently, the preme I won was a "slumber party preme".  CA's happy dance as I sprinted to the line apparently was the hit of the crowd....

Lessons Learned:

TT:  For me, the Garmin Man pacing was effective for race and course conditions.  Now if I can only find a way to get Dave Zabriskie’s voice from my Race Vehicle Garmin to my Edge 800….

Criterium:  Once I knew the gap was large enough that I could still get (in this case 5^th) last place in the lead group if I get popped off the back, I should have tried the Sufferfest Revolver skill set of my rivals. If I attacked 1 minute on and 1 minute off, would I have shelled a couple of people to give me a better overall finish? 

Kudos and Shout-outs:

Wendy and Kelley:  Had you not been at the line with me, I would have gone to Starbucks.  Thanks for helping the break stick.  I love racing with you both.

EVO teammates:  Thank you for cheering for me during that race.   I have not had such an awesome cheering section at a race.

CA:  With all the cheering from the crowds and the fear of crashing in my head, this is the first race that I could not hear you from the sidelines except…..your voice was in my head when I wanted to quit because I (1) could not see (2) felt my rear wheel skidding on a turn (3) hate rain and (4) had sand in my eyes and dirt in my mouth from the water scouring my face.  MUSHY ALERT:  I kept going through the worst part of the race because I wanted you to know I could face my fears (and get a big hug at the end of the race.)