Catching up

Its been a while since Ive blogged. Since Tour of Lawrence, I haven't had a lot of racing on my calendar. Here are brief summaries of what Ive been up to:

Wildwood Centaur TT
Wildwood, MO
7/17/10

I did the local Wildwood TT and pulled out a 4th place finish (out of 12) in the Women's Open against some of the strongest triathletes in the area! Might I add that the top 3 had TT bikes and all the best aero gear, while I was on my road bike with just my clamp on aero bars and a borrowed TT helmet! Oh, and I was only 10 seconds off of 3rd place!! Ok, Im a little excited. Probably because Ive never been much of a time trialist and because my TT results have been hit and miss this year. Overall, Ive improved dramatically though, and so Im very happy with this result!

Missouri State Championship Races
Time Trail: 7/31/10
Crit: 8/1/10

I debated going up to Chicago to race the Elk Grove races this same weekend, but opted to stay closer and support the MO state races instead. Unfortunately, these races never seem to bring in the crowds and Im not sure why. In the TT, it was me against only two other women. :( Both of which who beat me in the last TT, and was sure to do the same this time. This was one of the longest TT's I have done at 40K (24 miles). Most are more like 15-20K. Some categories only had to do 20K at this though, so there were two turn around points...(this is key information). I head out the busy road (still open to traffic that was usually traveling way too fast) and Im feeling pretty good. Its about 95 degrees though and its super hot. I see the turn around ahead...I see the 20K painted on the road w/ an arrow and think, ok, this is 20K, only 20K back. I think, wow, this came up pretty quick. As Im starting to settle into my rhythm again, I look at my clock and realize the error of my ways. I turned around too soon! CRAP! I look back and there are a line of cars I have to wait for. I turn BACK around and head back out. Im totally pissed at myself. I pass the 20K turnaround again and realize I have a LONG way to go and Ive just lost lots of minutes. My only calming thought was that Amy and Maureen were going to beat me anyway, it was now just going to be by a bigger margin! I settled back into the suffer fest. Having waves of feeling good and feeling like I wanted to sit up and just save my legs for the next day. I finish...over 3 mins behind Amy. Oh well...lesson learned.

The crit was the next afternoon. I get there an hour earlier than planned b/c I was looking a last years schedule. At least it wasnt earlier! Fingers are crossed that we have enough women in the Open category to hold the race. I had resolved to trying to race w/ the Mens Cat 3 group if we didnt get to race. However, we get a total of 6. I despise racing with such a small group. Its just not very fun. But, Im glad we get our race and Im after MOBRA points! There were a couple of women there that had been racing for a while and most of our group kept the race really animated...and as fun as we could given the size of the group. I try and attack, chase some down and make the best of it. My eye is on Emily, because she is the strongest sprinter. Amy attacks with 3 to go and no one chases her!? REALLY strange. I happen to be in a really bad position to try and go without taking the whole group. I try to bridge on the back of the course, but Im quickly reeled in. I focus on the finish. I get in a great position on the last lap and grab Emily's wheel. However, she hits the apex of the hill and just lays it on. She has an amazing jump! She gaps me and I just sprint as hard as I can to hold my position. I hold off the others and finish 3rd. Wish I had been in a better spot to go w/ Amy. She worked her butt off those last 3 laps, so kudos to her, she earned the win!

Tour of Lawrence, KS - July 3rd & 4th

What a great weekend in Lawrence, KS!

Saturday was the circuit race through the KC campus. It was an approx 4 mile twisty, hilly loop through the campus and the Cat 3/4 women had to do 3 laps. I was a little surprised that we did not have more laps, and while I did not mind it terribly, I expected this would make for an aggressive race. However, it really wasn't. There was a natural peeling off of some racers over the race on the hills. A Threads.com girl (Roberta Smith) from Denver was on the front for a lot of the race. I held my position in the top 4 or 5 throughout the race because of all of the corners and hills. I didn't want to get taken by surprise and was on the defensive for an attack...but it never came.


Well, not until the last hill to the finish on the final lap of the race. Going into the last hill, there were probably a few more than 10 of the 30 left together. I saw Roberta pushing the pace and Carol Flinchbaugh (Free State Racing) holding her wheel. I spin up the legs and pull in behind Carol. There is a long windy stretch to the finish once you crest the hill and I figured 3rd wheel is just where I needed to be. However, Carol looses Roberta's wheel and a gap quickly forms that I don't think I can cover without dying before the finish. I stay on Carol and when we get to the top I look back and realize that we have a major gap on the rest of the group! I can't make up the gap to Roberta, so I just sit on Carol's wheel as I can tell she is dying...and at approx 150 meters, I jump and sprint around her to take 2nd! I wonder how it would have played out if I had been on Roberta's wheel??! She did a lot of work, and definitely earned her win! Still, I'm very happy with 2nd!
(teammates: Cat Ebling, me, and Suzanne Woodard)

Sunday was a crit in downtown Lawrence. It was cooler but very humid as rain was in the forecast. Another lucky day for the womens 3/4 field...it was dry! This course was a fairly flat figure eight course. I actually had never raced on a figure 8 crit course before...boy was it FUN! The corners were fast and open enough that you could pedal through them if on the front. Me and my teammate talked to a couple of other racers to set something up together. Now rarely in a womens 3/4 race do you have a plan going in and then actually have that plan come to fruition! But, oh how I love it when a plan comes together (well, mostly)!!! The first lap was hot out of the gate, you could feel the excitement from the other racers. The crowds were awesome and lining the streets. It was a great day for a bike race! Then, first time through the start/finish and they ring the bell for a prime. The field doesn't let up. Aubree (Tulsa Tough) gets the prime in a sprint! The pace continues to stay high...someone tries to take a flier...we pull them back....another...we pull them back...it starts to slow down after we pull them in and I jump for another counter attack w/ Aubree in tow!

(deep in the pain cave!)
We haul it and get a 7 sec, 12 sec, 16 sec gap on the field. We hold around 10-16 sec for most of the race. We were only 12 mins into a 40 min race when we went! Aubree has got some power in those legs! Im turning myself inside out to work with her and hold off the field. Im DEEP into my pain cave and giving it everything. At 4 laps to go I hear Aubree say they are catching us and should we sit up...I say no, and try to push it for a little while longer, but look back and realize its inevitable. There were a couple really strong 3-4 person teams doing a lot of work to bring us back and on top that, they gave the field 2 primes in a row at the end of the race which motivated them as well. I thought we could hold them off... Oh well.

I soft pedal and try to tuck into the pack and "recover" the best I can with only 4 to go! Another prime lap is called at 3 to go! OMG! Hang on Jamie! Aubree has something left and goes for it and gets another prime!! Wow! She gets a gap on the field and I think she might hold it...but she gets reeled back in. With only 2 laps to go, I move myself up and get in a better position. I find a decent position and we fly through the final corner and I give it everything. I hear someone bump and go down and just go for the finish. I can see that Ill be able to reel in 3rd place and get around the wheel in front of me! YES! 3rd! I cant breathe for about 10 mins. We averaged around 23 mph for that race and I later learn that I averaged my highest average HR ever in a race! Damn. No wonder that hurt so bad.



After the race, we celebrate our plan coming together and the fun we had. All of the women comment on what a fun race it was. And it was. It was aggressive, had a good sized field, it was mostly safe (aside from the one crash at the final sprint) and we all had fun beating up on each other! Everyone is all smiles! Another podium finish for me. I'm very happy with those performances! :)

(photo cred to Elizabeth Rangel for the awesome action shots!!)

Webster Groves Crit - June 27th

According to weatherunderground.com it was only a high of 89 degrees today, but I dont believe it. It felt like we were baking out there. And, to add insult to injury, the nice clouds went away right before our race and we had full sun cooking us!

About 5 mins before we race I find out that they are combining the woman's fields. We were supposed to be Cat 1/2/3 and a separate Cat 4 group. While its nice to have a bigger group, its also generally a little more dangerous because of all of the different experience levels.

From the start Chris guns it right away to try and shake the group up. We are quickly all back together. In the first 3-5 laps there is a lot of action. Lots of attacks and a few counter attacks. Im feeling good at first. I try to get away, but get chased back pretty quickly. Its a strong field!



There is sure a lot of bumping going on though! I think I get leaned into, bumped, and then nearly crashed into at least 5 times!! Geesh! Poor Steph gets pinched into a corner. She leans into my shoulder but isnt able to recover as she slides off my shoulder and goes down on the pavement. Im still not sure how my rear wheel missed it all, but Im SO glad it did!! Steph stays out and goes to the medic tent (mostly just shook up and a really bad case of road rash). Turns out Emily also was involved but is able to get back in. Chris has a mechanical...shifter broken and only has 2 gears!! She is a rock star in my book to continuing the race!



Aside from the primes, the race settles down and there's not a lot of action. I don't go for the primes because Im finding it harder and harder to recover after each effort. The heat has elevated my HR. I keep drinking and dumping cold water on my head, but the relief is only temporary. My head feels like its on fire! I save what I have left for the sprint. I know that Chris and Emily are strong sprinters.




I decided to go early and try to hold them off. Right before the final corner, I see Emily on my outside and she gets to the corner first. Chris goes on my inside. I get through the corner and give it all I have. I realize after a few pedal strokes that Im in too big a gear. I decide that taking a gear off in the middle of my sprint could either save me or kill me....it ends up being the right choice. I know Im not going to catch Chris or Emily at this point, but I rev it up and hold off everyone else! Felt great to sprint that hard! Chris edges out Emily at the line and I end up 3rd. Not bad for my first race after my long vacation!

Im ready for Tour of Lawrence now!! :)
(photo cred to Dennis Fickinger and Paul Pate)

Tulsa Tough June 5-6, 2010

Saturday June 5th: Brady Theater District Crit

Back in HOT Tulsa for the 2nd yr in a row and ready to RACE! Ive been training hard this past winter and Tulsa Tough was a race I wanted to do really well in. Its a great weekend of racing, pretty well organized, great payouts and big fields for a Woman's 3/4 race! I was gearing to go.

Its 12:45 and about 95 degrees and we line up with a field of 60 women! Wow! I think this is the largest woman's field I have raced in. Unfortunately Im not able to work my way up as close to the front of the starting line as I had hoped. They start us quickly and I easily move up throughout the first lap. The course is 'L' shaped with 6 corners and while it really isn't a "technical" course, the number of crashes in each race would beg to differ.

Approx 1/2 way into our 45 min race I'm about mid-pack and trying to move up and we round the last corner. We are probably 3 wide through the corner and all of a sudden I see a girl from the inside of the corner sliding out and towards Allison and then me! Sometimes crashes happen in slow motion. This one did not. I dont remember what I thought or exactly how I hit or what hit me. All I remember is feeling the back of my head (helmet thank God) bouncing off the pavement. I wait for anyone else who might hit me and then jump up and quickly assess the damage. I think Im ok. I dont see any bleeding and I'm moving, so things don't seem broken. I pick up my lens from my sunglasses and pop it back in. I see Carrie running down the sidewalk to assist. She gets my chain back on and looks over my bike. I try to catch my breath and get my head on straight. I head back to the pit for my free lap. About 10 of us try to merge w/ the group on the next lap which requires a lot of work to chase back on since I wasn't able to clip in as quickly as normal...a bit frazzled... Im back and and work on settling in a bit and catching my breath.

There is a prime lap which I think is only for the group and not the person off the front. Apparently she wasn't off the front until after the prime was called. I guess I wasn't all with it b/c I sprint for the prime which she clearly had. Oh well. I end up bridging up to her, but the group is close behind. Turns out that was going to be my only sprint in the race. After the first crash I tell myself I need to move up to the top 5-10 riders. With laps to go Im approx 8th wheel and on the tightest corner of the course, someone in front of me touches wheels and goes down RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME! I yell "Again?!" and roll over her wheel, grab my breaks and sort of step over my bars to catch myself before gently falling over w/ my bike - AGAIN. No more free laps now.

I rush to try and put my chain on so I can at least finish the race but I can't get it back on. Some spectators try to help and its just really jammed in my front derailleur. I yell "F*#@&" about a zillion times knowing that my race is over. The girl who went down in front of me just sort of stands there looking at me. Im not sure if she was scared or what. I feel bad I didn't have the fame of mind to ask if she was ok. All I can think about is the fact that this was my "A" race and Im not even going to finish!! I limp down to the start/finish stretch in time to watch Cindy and Aubree duke it out in the sprint! OH how I should have been right there w/ them!! Cindy takes the win, but if Aubree had another 50 meters, she would have had it...it was close!

I calm down and gain some perspective and realize that if I were to crash again, Id want it to go the same way. Nothing broken or majorly damaged!! I was just thinking a few weeks ago that Im not sure how I have managed in 2.5 yrs of road bike racing not to go down in a race. I knew my time was coming... Ill heal, my bike is basically fine.

I start focusing on tomorrows race!

Sunday June 6th: Riverside Crit (Cry baby hill)

I wake up pretty sore from Saturdays tumbles. But, my headache has gone away, so Im grateful for that! I decide to race and Teresa and I ride to the race from the hotel. There is a great riverfront trail and we do a long warm-up to help loosen everything up. My tailbone is pretty sore! The weather is great this morning. There is more wind, but is probably only in the low 80's, which is a welcome relief!

I line up early to get a good starting position. The group is smaller today maybe between 30-40 riders. I establish myself in the front of the group early into the race and have good positioning. I realize quickly which riders are good climbers and which can corner well. You could get screwed unless you got on the right wheels in the right places. The really sharp final corner would really gap off riders and you could end up having to work really hard in the finishing stretch just to get back to a wheel.

As I crest the hill over and over I feel something very familiar...Ive done this before! Not just last year, but my coach has had me doing some very similar hill repeats over past weeks and I'm feeling really strong on the hill! Sometimes I actually don't feel like I'm going to die when I get up to the top! My gearing is good and Im keeping pace w/ the front of the pack which has formed a split in the field.

During the race, at the top of the hill, the official rings the bell for the KOM prime! I knew where I needed to be positioned to get it. I stay on the right wheels and let someone else lead up the hill and then on the little "kicker" after the big climb (where everyone died each lap)I kick it into gear and attack her and get the prime! Wow! cool! I get a nice gap on the field and find a strong pace and lead off the front until the next time up the hill where the group catches back on. I get back in and recover. There were some other primes, but I focus on the finish instead of expending more energy on primes. 3 to go and I end up on the front. I take it easy and slide back a bit going up the hill so I can get off the front. I find a good position and stick it for the next two laps. On one to go, I decide to try and attack on the small hill after the climb. Its a little early, but I think I can hold them off. OOPS, I was wrong. Right before the downhill, Im caught by a group of 4 and they fly past me down the hill and get a big gap on me after the final corner. I sprint so I dont loose anymore positions, but I know Im sprinting for 5th. Oh well, lesson learned! It was still a good race, I felt strong and I finished MUCH better than last year! I also feel like I made up for my lost Saturday.

Time to head home and recover this aching body! Man I love my chiropractor! :)

Tour of St. Louis - April 24th - 25th

Weather report was 50/50 for rain this morning. It was actively raining on the way to the race, but stopped by the time I got there. I think we had about 11 women in our race. Here are the highlights: I tried to stay well positioned and not do too much work chasing every attack. Then the call for a $50 prime! Thats pretty good money! I jumped REALLY early and got a large gap on the field and took the prime! I was caught less than a lap later though. Then, I got in a 2 person break with Cindy Reese when she attacked. We held off the group for almost a whole lap. Came down to a group sprint where I took 4th...some strong sprinters in this group! Good race overall, and still in the money! :)




Arrive at the time trial and the clouds and wind are plentiful. Its approx 4/4:30pm when I go out for the TT. I hear there is a brutal head wind on the way out, but an awesome tail wind most of the way back! Cindy is kind enough to lend me her TT helmet and shoe covers. It was the first time I even put a TT helmet on my head! Slick! Man, I gotta get a TT helmet, that thing was cool! (total bike nerd, I know) So Im feeling fast as I head out into the head wind. I try to focus on not breaking my form and staying set in my aero bars. The last thing Cindy tells me is "dont wipe your snot, just let it drip!" HA! Really! Well, it makes sense, the more you break form, the more you loose time. I take her advice, but its pretty gross! I push hard, and the 30+ mph wind gusts are demoralizing as I slow to 16 mph at one point. My cadence is slowing and Im forced to break form so I can shift gears at various points. I turn around and get to the tail wind section! Woo Hoo! WOW! I get in the biggest gear I have and just crank it! I look down at my computer at one point and Im going 30 mph! As Kate said...you will feel like a rockstar! She was right! Until...I get to the last 500 meters or so when I have a direct cross wind from my left side. Im leading 45 degrees into the wind just to avoid getting blown over, my wheels are trying to wash out beneath me, I have a death grip on my aero bars as I hold on for dear life, and I push the biggest gear I can! OUCH! I end up in 5th place and only 30 sec behind someone I was 2.5 mins behind just last weekend! Very happy w/ these results! I think I did the best I could in the weather conditions given.

As I was finishing the last mile or so, I hear a noise, but think its just the wind. After finishing I realize its the tornado sirens!! I get back to the car and Aubree points out the funnel clouds. Scary! We load up asap and I rearrange my whole car so I can get my bike inside. SO glad I did that. We try to rush out but should have stayed where we were. All hell breaks loose. It dumping so much rain I cant see and the is instantly a ton of standing water on the road. We drive through some small hail and I call Aubree and Adam who are following me to tell them Ill be stopping at the gas station up the road to wait this out. Even more scary, there are still folks out on the course! A woman I know gets hailed on, a guy runs into the concrete bathroom structure to seek shelter, the Big Shark van drives out the pick up people who are out there! Im SOOOOO glad to have finished when I did. What a great bunch of volunteers and what an unforgettable race!

Weather report later that day!
KMOV.com
Posted on April 24, 2010 at 10:24 PM
Updated today at 11:57 AM
Related:
KMOV -- Clean-up crews have a lot of work ahead around the St. Louis region.
Strong storms pounded the area on Saturday with hail, damaging winds and heavy rains, leaving many homes and businesses damaged.

Des Peres was one of the more heaviliy hit areas, where many reports say a tornado touched down. Ballas Road stayed blocked off into Saturday night. Three houses on that road suffered extensive damage from the storm.






Next up the Sunday crit. Again, more rain on the way to the race, but it stopped for the race! Highlights: My teammate Allison attacked and got in a 3 person break w/ Mesa and Dogfish. Me and the other Mesa teammate (Chris) held off the group to give our women the advantage and try to help the break stay away. They did stay away and Allison ended up 3rd and me 6th with Aubree getting me at the line for a 2nd day in a row! Great tactical race!

Herman Stage Race: April 17th - 18th

I have mixed emotions about how last weekend went. It definitely didnt go as planned. Now I know its early in the season and I was up against a small but really strong field of women, but I just expected more from myself. I REALLY dont like to get dropped and it seemed that that was pretty much the theme of the weekend for me.


It started w/ an 11 mile TT on Sat morning. After all of the hard work I have done over the winter, I knew my time/speed HAD to be better than last year. This years course was 11 miles, one mile more than last year. Also, had a pretty strong cross wind and never had a good tail wind like last year. Im not sure if it was the wind, my legs, or the fact that I was in such a rush I didnt get a great warm up and totally left my saddle bag on my bike! HA! Did I look at my HR too much? Can I think of any more excuses??! :) Anyway, I averaged about .5 mph SLOWER this year than last. I end up 8 out of 10. Next TT Ill focus on perceived exertion only....just focus and GO! Now, it DID make me feel a little better to look at the Womens 3/4 results and realize that I would have been 3rd in their group! But only a little...


Saturday afternoon was the crit. Same course as last year with a steep hill top finish. There were only 8 of us in the Open category who lined up for the crit. I was able to hang with the group for the first lap and then our 1st time around, they announce the omnium points prime for the next lap! The pace picks up and I work hard to hang in. There were some women with strong cornering skills and I was forced to take some corners at a speed that was out of my comfort zone...but it all worked out. At the bottom of the hill, they jump on the pedals and I just try to stay as close as possible. At the top, I have to chase back on and managed to catch the leaders wheel before the downhill. I hang until the next time up the hill and I get dropped like a bad habit. Am I dragging an anchor behind me? Is my break on?! Nope, just feeling like everyone else. I end up gaped off the front group of four but no where close to anyone else. I just keep pushing as best I can. I climb that hill 9 times in total! All of the 3/4 ladies and other cheerleaders are standing on the hill screaming at me each lap! What fun!



With I think 3 to go, Amy passes me on the hill and I TRY to grab her wheel at the top of the hill but just can't hang as she throws it in her big ring and gasses it like she is on a mission. Ok, I have to hold my position! At 2 to go, another rider, Carol, comes up beside me on the hill. NO! We stay together on the top of the course and then I descend much faster than her and try to smoke it fast through the corners to get ahead of her so I have a gap going into the hill. She gets pretty close again on the hill, but then its 1 to go and I give it all I have for the last lap. She stays close but never catches my wheel and manged to hold her and Teresa off and hold on to 6th place. OUCH!

We head back to our host housing in this awesome little cabin. Ashley, a Hub racer and local Hermannite offer up some accommodations! What a beautiful piece of land! I got to pick up and pet a live chicken, something I havent done since I was 12 and see the nice sky w/o the light pollution of the city! It was pretty cool. Ashley's parents also had an amazing spread of food ready for us when we arrived. They were awesome! I slept great and woke up and made everyone a big healthy breakfast to prep them for the long day of road racing ahead!

Oh, the road race. The first hill was going to be the worst. I wasn't sure if someone would try to attack there given that its in mile 1 of 60! No one did, but it felt like I was struggling to stay w/ the group again. By the top of the 1 mile climb, Im a little gaped off the back but knew that there was a nice flat section and then a downhill where I could catch back on...and did. I actually knew the course pretty well from past years and from riding it just a few weeks prior for a training ride. I knew that the first 15 miles of the loop were going to be the hardest. I continue to struggle each climb. I tried not to let negative thoughts come in. Thats very powerful stuff. I start telling myself to "climb my own hill" since I felt like I was going to blow up trying to keep pace w/ them. But Im not sure that was the best strategy either. I ended up gaping and chasing on multiple hills and then on probably the last bigger hill before it leveled off, I REALLY get dropped and I want to fight for it, but Im just not going anywhere fast. The wheel truck passes me and Larry shouts something encouraging.

I stop fighting, try to find my own pace and just ride....alone...for the next 30+ miles. Right before the KOM, the Womens Cat 3/4 passes me (they started 5 mins behind us and only have 1 lap). Buzz kill! They all shout encouraging words and I tell them they are the rock stars! 1/2 way up the KOM, Natalie (Dog Fish) drops her chain and has no idea how to put it back on. I figure I have nothing to loose, and stop, quickly put it back on for her and tell her to chase her tail off!

I know I have to go out for a 2nd loop. Everything inside of me wants to get back to the finish and just quit. But I say aloud to myself "Jamie is NOT a quitter". I make it back to the finish and need more water for sure. Jessi hands me a bottle and I throw her my car key since I know Teresa will need in before Im back. I turn the corner and head toward the worst hill of the race...Guttenburg. OMG! Its about 3 blocks long and ranges from 14% - 18% grade. On the 18% section (at the top of course) I have to zig zag across the road just to make it up. I want to get off and walk! NO! I have to conquer this one! I make it. Now I did not ride this section on my training ride and thought that it would take me to the top of the 1st hill we did prior. No, sorely mistaken, Im only in the middle. I have to climb that bastard again! Im going so slow up it, I feel like walking would be faster, but I keep going. Every hill I creep to the top and continue. I sing some songs in my head and try to keep a good attitude. Its a beautiful day after all, Ive paid good money for this, and on top of that, the omnium paid 10 spots and there were only 8 of us in contention, so I knew Id get some prize money just for finishing!

About 1/2 way through the 2nd lap, I see someone alone up ahead. I figure its a guy, but as I get closer I realize that its Jacqueline Denny. What? She was in 2nd overall so I was very surprised that she got dropped. She said she fell off about 25 miles in. We were happy to see each other and have someone to work with for the next 15 or so miles! We take turns pulling and we are both climbing about the same...slow as snails. I was glad we felt the same and I wasn't holding her back. The last 10 miles were the WORST. My stomach started growling and I wished I a brought something solid to eat and not just GU and powered drink stuff. (Note to self!) My legs start cramping and I just try to focus on going forward. Can I hitch a ride or something?! That would be great! No no, forward! That big downhill to the fish is right around the corner...I can feel it! There it is!! YES! I was never happier to see downtown Hermann! I finish DFL, but I finish.

I roll back to the car and Chris and Jessi are just rolling up. I stop and un-clip and put my head on my bars and a wave of emotion rushes over me. I cry b/c Im more exhausted than I can remember being in a long time, I cry b/c Im starving, dehydrated, cramping, and b/c I finished the race regardless! Chris tells me Im a stronger racer for finishing. Tells me all the things I need to hear right then. Thanks Chris! I collapse on the curb and Jessi hands me a sandwich that I start quickly inhaling. Its SO good. I drink some water and start shivering w/ goosebumps. About 20 mins later I start feeling more like a normal person again.

I ask myself why I do this. Why torture myself like this? As me and Chris and Teresa talk racing in the car all the way back to St. Louis and then continue sharing stories over beers on my back deck, I remember why. This connects us as friends for life. It gives us stories that we will never forget. This makes us stronger people and Ill look forward to the next torturous race weekend with them! Thanks ladies! :)

Thanks to Paul Pate for the photos!

Tilles Park Women's Open: April 11th 2010

Another day in the saddle! After the grueling 58 mile race the day before, I had NO idea how my legs would feel today. It was also really warm today and more humid. Everyone was trying to adjust to the sudden rise in temps (low 80's)! I get kitted up and roll down the road to find a place to warm up. My legs are a little tired, but not as bad as I expected! Not sure how long they would last but ok for now.


The field is much smaller than yesterday with 20ish riders. Still, much better than most local races!! The Bicycles of Tulsa (BOT) team is still in full effect and ready to race. Both of my teammates are not able to do the race, so I am solo today.

The whistle is blown and the pack is hot out of the gate. I was ready for this and grabbed a wheel and hung on waiting for it to settle down a bit. Just as it started to settle the BOT girls start taking turns attacking the field. I chase a few of them and stay w/ all of the accelerations. My legs are feeling good, but I can tell Im not going to have a "full box of matches" to burn today!

About 15 mins or so into the race, an attack sticks. Chris goes with one of the BOT girls (Cindy Reese). The pace picks up as the group tries not to let them get away, but then it slows down as fellow teammates go to the front and block the field. Im waiting for someone to attack and try to bridge up. They have a pretty big gap now. No one does...so I do. There were too many strong women to let me get get away and after a short 30 sec effort, the whole field is on me. I sit up and get back in. A few others attempt attacks as well, but none of them stick. It was the perfect storm. Too many strong sprinters in the field who wanted their teammates off the front to let anything get away. But they were the ones who would have done work to bring back something if it were a different team up the road. A Big Shark racer (Amy S) tries to organize a chase group, but there were only 3-4 of us who would work and the bockers kept working their way to the front in the rotation and slowing it down. Frustration. I wish I had attempted a bridge sooner so there was less of a gap to make up!

The race was fairly uneventful after that. Some more failed attacks but basically nada. At 2 or 3 to go (or maybe right before then) Chris and Cindy lap the field and jump back in. I start thinking about the final sprint and where I need to be. At 2 to go, Im NOT in the right place and Im wondering how Ill move up. Then at 1 to go, Chris takes off and I just happen to be on her wheel and hold it. Im sitting 2nd wheel. Not ideal, but better than the back of the pack. At 350 meters or so (well before the left turn to the finish) I hear people jumping for the sprint already. What, really? Already? Dammit! People start going around and Im trying to sprint through a sweeping corner (that was a first and crazy). I grab whatever wheel I can find and just try not to loose any more positions. Ugh!! Im not sure of my placement, maybe 9th(ish) (dont quote me on that).

(Me on the left, 4th wheel)

I tried to check results, but didnt remember my number, so had no idea how I finished. But if I counted right, it was right around that. Mid-pack again. Ok, need to work on my positioning for the sprint!! Always something more to lean. I guess thats why Im hooked on this racing thing! :)

Thanks to Paul Pate for Photos!

Hillsboro-Roubaix with the Cat 1/2/3 Women

Ouch! Thats all I can think right now.

As we rolled up to the line there was a nervous but positive attitude amongst the field of women. Everyone was reunited for this 1st big race of the season. It was hugs and hellos all around! Surprisingly, I was only a little nervous for this 60 mile road race - the longest Ive ever (or never at that point) done.

The group of 47 women roll out and for the first 5 miles, Im trying to move myself up the double pace line while staying out of the wind. We had a lot of strong cross winds the whole race. Given the fairly flat to rolling terrain (aside from the two hills right before the finish), the front of the group used every little hill and tight corner as an opportunity to attack and try to get away from the group. The first lap went really quickly, I almost couldn't believe it when we hit the feed zone. Unfortunately, I missed my hand-up bottle and so all I had were the last 1/2 bottle of my HEED mix and the other mixed bottle I had stashed in my jersey pocket. Im SO glad I carried that extra bottle!

The main part of the field was still together going into lap two. I knew the attacks would be stronger and more frequent...and they were. A group of 4 made a break stick and the main field didnt have enough people willing to organize and work together to catch them. I tried to help chase for a while but once I realized that only about 4-5 people (out of 17) were willing to work, I tucked back in out of the wind. Plus, my legs were starting to cramp up. I focused on drinking more and trying to save some for the last two hills and cobblestone which was just power zapping! As much as I hurt the last 15 or so miles, I kept thinking about how cool it was that I was still with this amazing group of strong women racers including our very own Carrie Cash! :) (She is on a pro team this year - Vera Bradley Team) She has totally been my bike racing mentor and to be in a group with her the entire race was something I couldn't even have imagined just a couple of years ago. Of course no one was able to match her bad ass sprint and she won the field sprint to take 5th! Way to go Carrie!

Me, well, I found myself in the back of the field going into the feed zone hill and as the group slowed for a car stopped in the middle of the road, I got yo-yo'ed off the back. I hung close but then on the final hill I died. I pushed, but felt like I was getting nowhere. Two other riders had fallen off up ahead of me and I tried my best to catch them but never did. Just before I get to the line the pro 1/2 men fly by for their final sprint. It was cool to see, but I felt bad being in the finishing stretch at that point.

So, the short story is that I finished 21st out of 47 women. It was mostly very fun, very challenging, and just what I needed to get me ready for next weekend when I do Hermann. Only difference is, Hermann is the same length, but with WAY more hills. Oh God help me! :)

Photo to come soon...

The Great Forest Park Bicycle Race: March 28th 2010

Thanks to Dennis Fickinger for the photo!

Wow, I am long overdue for a blog entry! Geesh!

Today marked the first race of the 2010 season for me. Unfortunately it was 45 degrees and raining for this first crit. But, to look on the bright side, at least this is one of the least technical, open cornered crits I will do all year! Also, not a big draw for this race...we only had 7 women in the Women's Open field. (Cornering is not so difficult in a single paceline!)

I knew all the members of the field well, this is the first of many local races we will do together. There were five of us Cat3's (a couple newly catted up) and Chris Roettger (Cat 2) with Mesa Cycles and Carrie Cash (Pro-Cat 1) with Team Vera Bradley Foundation. I knew they would put the hurtin' on us, but was anxious to see if I could try to hang.

Carrie attacked from the line and I grabbed her wheel. A short time later, I hear Teresa behind me telling me my rear skewer was undone...that would explain why my bike was doing some funky shifting off the line. Everyone yelled at me to stop and fix it and that they would wait for me since this wasn't something that warranted going to the pit for (they would not give me a free lap for that). That was totally cool of them since we were only a 1/4 lap into the race!!! It really would have sucked to not get a fair shake at the race. So I jumped off, fixed it, and was shaking trying to get clipped back in. I hauled it up the road to the group and tried to calm my HR which was so high you thought I would have just sprinted! I got in the back to catch my breath. Not more than two laps later, Carrie attacked hard and Chris went to follow. I was on the front and wished I wasnt. I attacked from the front to chase. They had quickly made a large gap on me. I put my head down and pushed to try and bridge the gap. I was probably within 50 meters when we turned into the headwind and I pushed a little longer, but soon had nothing left and just couldn't quite make it. I was SO mad too. Just a little more and I would have been on a wheel.... Anyway, Theresa came around me and I got on her wheel and she tried to do the work going into the headwind. She also died trying to chase.

After a couple of laps, our group organized and all did some work to bring them back but we never seemed to make any headway. I was able to grab the first prime lap by attacking early and quickly gaping the field. Theresa was right behind me and we worked together for a while to try to stay away, but it did not stick. Chris and Carrie lapped our field and helped try to mix it up a bit. Chris was strong and when she attacked a couple of times, I had to fight to hold her wheel.

I guess I wasnt the only one struggling though because come the final lap, I lined up 3rd wheel and didnt even jump until about 100 meters and was able to pass Theresa and keep the rest of the group from coming around me. So, I managed 3rd place! Not bad for the first race of the season. I just need to get my race fitness back and that will come in the next month or so. Thanks to my coach this winter (Coach Chris Mileski (www.otfracing.com), I definitely feel more ready this year than last, so it should be a fun and challenging season!