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.