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...