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)

Superweek Day 3

Superweek – Day 3
Tuesday, July 21st
Cat 3/4 Women: Whitnall Park Crit
Approx 20 miles, 22 mph average

Today we were back in Whitnall park for a shorter crit course. Part of the course went backwards on the previous days course making for a very different but fun course. It started with a sharp, greater than 90 degree turn into a small 5%ish grade hill. The back side had a false flat to a small downhill into a longer false flat with a small headwind. After that, it was an easy sweeping downhill to the flat and fast finish. The first few laps were pretty mellow, it kind of seemed like everyone was warming up and seeing how their legs felt on day 3 of racing. There were a few attacks but they did not stick for long. It was a very hard course to find a good place to attack and stay away. We didn’t have any primes to mix up the race, so that also seemed to keep the attacks down. Because of the width of the road, it provided lots of opportunities to move up on the outsides. When the pace slowed down, that meant positioning would have to be fought for. Everyone seemed to be vying for position from lap 1 and some folks were more aggressive than others. One woman tapped my hip to let me know she was on my side (where I couldn’t see her) because we were all so squeezed together in the front of the field. Later, that same woman would do the same to another rider who apparently didn’t want to be tapped b/c she yells “don’t touch me!”. Then, the verbal altercation ensued! Back and forth they went, and I knew there was one way to stop them from yapping at each other – ATTACK! I was just contemplating attacking when the SRAM girl attacked from the back left of the pack. YES! I had worked hard the last two days to bring many of the attacks back, and I decided today I would let others do the larger share of the work. If someone went, I jumped on their wheel, but I didn’t initiate the chase. The last couple of laps, I found a good wheel 3-5 back and worked hard to stay on it. Then, on the last lap we were all together and I was holding my position and then an unexpected attack from a rider came from the back of the field on the left side and the field went crazy! I try not to panic b/c for one second I think there is no way I can ever make up all the spots I just lost. I look for a wheel. I find one and hang on, the pack sort of yo-yos a bit as we crest the false flat and go down the small decline and I just keep pedaling and adding gears. I find an opening on the outside left and sit a second or two behind a group of 5+ riders. I jump around them in the final 200 meters and just give it all I have. Im out of gears so I spin as fast as I can. I cant believe I have made up this many positions. I somehow manage a 4th place finish! Wow! Where did that sprint come from?! Very happy today! :)

Superweek Day 1

The new Team Rev mascot! Bea-Ver! :)
(a pix of the new mascot!)

Superweek – Day 1
Sunday, July 19th
Cat3/4 Women: Evanston Crit
18 miles, 23.5 mph average

Crit course in downtown Evanston, IL was fairly technical - Lots of manhole covers to dodge and 6 corners, but completely flat. It was cool weather for July, in the upper 60’s and breezy. The crowd was abundant and downtown Evanston was bustling. Very cute area with many cool shops and restaurants.
Lined up with 27 Cat 3/4 women at the line. I was a little nervous but surprisingly not as much as last year. I was excited this year to be a Cat 3 in a 3/4 field and not a 3 in a 1/2/3 field! Big difference! The whistle sounds and we fly out of the gate right away someone starts pushing the pace though the 1st corner and the pace is high for the whole first lap. Things settle down a bit, for a second, and then the attacks start. Im holding a good position in the top 5 of the front of the field. Maybe a little too close to the action though because I had to help cover many of the attacks. I wanted to be there for a break, but did not necessarily want to burn myself up on a bunch of attacks that were not going to stick. There were a lot of attacks on the finishing stretch, which did not make a lot of sense at all. There was a tail wind to the finish, and it was a long 3-4 block stretch with the start/finish pretty much right smack in the middle. A very long stretch to the finish after the last corner! There was a crash to my left at corner 4 midway through the race. Im well clear of it but see a couple girls flying into the padded barriers. Someone attacks while everyone is distracted (tacky if you ask me) and I have to chase back on the strung out field. I try to find a good position for the last 2 laps and I do and I tell myself I have to hold it. Im doing a good job and just as we are starting our final lap we start lapping dropped riders. With all of the corners, its getting very hairy. Its hard b/c the main field needs to get through and they are also trying to race their own race and place as best they can in the final lap. It gets even more dangerous on the 5th and 6th corners. I loose my wheel in the name of safety and have to work VERY hard to make up some spots on the final stretch (at least 600 meters). I find a wheel and move up with her and then pull out from behind her and give it all I have. I hit the giant manhole cover right in the middle of the finishing stretch and my back wheel jumps all over the place. I loose a pedal stroke, which doesn’t help. I regain control of my bike quickly and drill again all the way to the line. I pull out a 5th place finish even with all the craziness of the last lap. Ill take it!

Tulsa Tough 2009

Got to Tulsa, OK late on Friday night with my teammate Teresa. We headed straight to the Blue Dome crit in hopes of seeing the final laps of the pro women's race - no dice. The air was electric through the "Blue Dome district". People lined the figure 8 course cheering and having a great time; sounds of cowbells were plentyful. There were many bars and restaurants along the course and a double decker party bus that was statigically parked at the start/finish. We quickly found Chris and Carrie right after and got the low down. Sounded like a tough race and they both did great! Had some food, met some other pro women and watched the end of the pro mens race. Wow! Talk about fast! St. Louis native, Brad Huff took the win! What an amazing sprint he has!


Saturday 5/30/09: Main & Brady Crit
Woke up after tossing and turning all night. Nerves were plentyful. I knew there were going to be at least 35 racers in the womens 3/4. This was the biggest womens field that I have raced in since Superweek last year. The money was good, so I knew the competition would be high. I had NO idea how well I would hang with this group. New racers and I didnt know the good wheels from the bad ones. This would be a learning process.
The course was an L shape with 6 corners and had a long false flat on the back side. It was also about 30 degrees warmer than just the day before. At the start I was a ball of nerves as I realized there were actually 44 racers in the pack! Wow! Once the whistle was blown, I was quickly focused on the task at hand and forgot about being nervous. There were some squirley bike handlers in the pack and so I tried to stay as close to the front as possible. Still, I almost got taken out in a corner at least 3 times. Our front group lapped three different groups on the course some were lapped 3 times! We averaged 23 mph - not too shabby! There were some great primes offered, but I opted to save my legs for the final sprint. Then, someone got off of the front (Kelli Mente - Punk Rock Cycling). She was strong and not enough people would work to bring her back, so it stuck and she finished a good 15 seconds in front of the pack. The final three laps were brutal with the pace driving higher and higher. I started to fade back into rear of the pack. This is NOT where I wanted and needed to be. I made up a lot of spots on the final gradual downhill before the last corner. I took the inside corner hoping to jump on a wheel, but couldn't find one to save my life. I stood up and sprinted from the final corner. It was about 300 meters, but it felt like 3 times that. All I could do was try to stay ahead of anyone else behind me. I managed 13th place out of 44 riders. Im happy with that, but that sprint set up really needs some work! I tell myself this will be my goal tomorrow.
http://www.tulsatough.com/site/tulsatough/download/144?disposition=inline

Sunday 5/31/09: 13th and Riverside Crit
Our race was early and so I woke at 7am after a great night of sleep (thank goodness). The nerves were there much more subdude today. Everyone kept saying that this was the course that deems Tulsa Tough well, Tough. I quickly learn why. There only 4 corners, but you assend a steep hill into the first corner that is a block long (at least 10-12% grade), the top of the course is rolling, and then you basically descend the same sized hill on the other side into a sharp 90 degree turn to a flat straight away start/finish.

I did not get a chance to ride the course first, so the first time up the hill I was trying to figure out my gearing. Everyone seemed to be setting up for the small ring, so I follow suit. With the right amount of momentum and the right gearing, it wasn't a bad hill. Get on the wrong wheel, and you could be killing your legs each lap. My legs surprisingly felt really good! Ok, I can do this. Down the steep hill you have to break if you want to make it around the hair pin turn on two wheels, the first girl into the corner slides out and into the curb and someone uses the distraction as a great time to attack. She is quickly caught. I stay in the top 5-7 riders and often times Im the first one up the hill. Im feeling great! I look at the lap counter and much to my demise, we still have 9 more times up that hill. I hate it when I look too soon. Ok, put it out of you mind. Some really good primes come, but Im feeling so good, I feel like I could win this thing and the pay out is $325! Im saving my legs. 3 to go - Im perfectly positioned 5th wheel. 2 to go - Im 3rd wheel but as we go through the 90 degree turn into the start/finish, I give up 3 spots. Darn it. I pull myself out of the draft and make up my spots on the straight away. This must have burned up my legs just a little too much b/c that last time up the hill someone attacked hard and I DIED! NOOOOOOO, this is MY race. I put my head down and try to catch them on the back of the course but my heart rate is maxed out and I cant get enough air. Im starting to get tunnel vision. I tell myself, breathe. Ill make up some spots on the final downhill. Nope. They were hammering. I end up in the back of the group into the final corner and my legs are totally burned up for the sprint. I look back to make sure there is no one else there to pass me, nope, Im it. I sit down and cross the line in 12th out of 37. Im not happy about my placement and my final lap, but I feel really good about my fitness. This was a great learning experience and a lot of fun. I cant wait until Superweek!
http://www.tulsatough.com/site/tulsatough/download/130?disposition=inline

Joe Martin Stage Race 2008 - 3/4 Crit

Sunday Morning - 8am 3/4 Crit

I have never done a Cat 3/4 crit before, and I knew this would be challenging. Racing with them on an easy course would have been hard enough, but we were racing them on a course that was rated one of the top 5 most challenging crit courses in the nation (by Velo news). In less than a mile, the course has 8 corners, a fast downhill with those new brick cross walks all the way down and a brick corner at the bottom to a short flat section, false flat, and then a 90 degree turn to an ~8% grade hill (3/4 of a block in length) to the finish!

Its in the 40's and very windy that morning and we all stand shivering at the line for about 10-15 mins as we wait for cars to be moved from the course. The race was only 25 mins, so I knew it would be fast, but wow! The cold muscles didnt stop some of the stronger riders from sprinting out of the start. The pace was super fast from the gun. The leader was probably on the 3rd corner when I hit the 2nd corner. The field strung out immediately and Im off the pace of the front pack before turn 3.

I find a group of 3 women and we all try to work together. The problem with this course is that it really displays your strengths and weaknesses and makes it very difficult to work with a small group. They dont want to wait for you after the corners if you take it too wide and fall behind and you dont want to wait for them if they cant stay on your wheel on the false flat.... etc. It was hard to keep the group together. Then, you had the hill every lap and it wears on you very quickly. Most laps I stood on the hill since I had to to keep the wheel in front of me. I could hear Bri yelling for me every time I went up the hill - she totally motivated me to keep pushing up that thing! Thanks Bri!

In the end, I was glad I avoided being lapped and managed to get a good group sprint and placed 21st (and had only 3 other 4's in front of me). Again, this showed me how much work I need to do and will keep me motived to train hard! Need more speed work! :)

Tour of STL - what a ride

Well, its all over now. Three races in two days...a first for me. It was interesting to see how the legs and body respond to multiple days in a row of hard efforts. I definitely felt the fatigue set in.


Saturday Morning Crit:
Bright and early was the first crit in Carondelet Park. Nice course, wide open turns, but pretty windy on the back of the course with a couple small hills/inclines - including a pretty nice grade to the finish. It was a 7:30am race and I think we were all still sleepy eyed as we rolled up to the line. I was feeling fresh and ready for this. This was my first 'A' race of the season and I had peaked for this weekend. I was anxious to see what that felt like.
We had a pack of about 11 or 12, mostly Team Rev women. I feel bad for the other women out there on their own w/o a team, Im already seeing the advantages of that. They did incredible out there on their own (and we were nice :) Anyway, I got out front right away for a lap or two and then tucked in from the wind for a couple. I was in a good position when they called the prime and went for it by attacking on the hill to the start/finish. I think I had one other person on my wheel (maybe two) and was able to win it! I had made a small gap on the field, but there was no way I would be able to stay off the rest of the race, we were only 10 mins in at this point. So, I basically sat up and jumped back in. Kate mixed it up a bit by trying to go off the front a couple of times, but the pack wouldn't let her go. Everyone just hung on. Though I did bump wheels trying to get out of the inside and catch her wheel once. Good thing Allison was holding on! :) The pack stayed together the rest of the race with a couple of people trying to make some moves, but nothing really sticking. It would take a big move to get out and away. With one to go I decided to jump early (around turn 3) and go for it. I didnt know for sure how my legs would react, I was hoping I could stay out front of the pack for the finish. Teresa followed and soon we were elbow to elbow hammering up the hill to the finish. We were both sprinting out hearts out, digging as hard as we could. I wanted 1st BAD! I got her by milliseconds, what a rush! An awesome sprint for sure! Ill post the video. Jason was sweet enough to record that! What a great boyfriend! The rest of the Team Rev women kicked some butt too. I was impressed at how well everyone seemed to move around the field and work together. Some good attempts at breaking up the field and making us all work. Thats what it all about, helping each other improve. Great race and exciting to get my 1st, 1st place in bike racing! Im still smiling! :)


Saturday Time Trial:
Well, after some food and a nap, it was time to race again. I purchased some aero bars for my road bike and decided to try them out for the first time on the race. It was actually pretty easy to adjust to, they need some adjustment, but they were much more comfortable than the drops! This was only my 2nd TT. My first was just last weekend in Herman and I had definitely found my threshold and wanted to focus this time on not going over my threshold so I didn't burn my legs out so much. However, I guess from the hard effort earlier, I wasn't able to hit my threshold. Instead I was about 6-8 bpm less than what I had hoped to level off at. My legs just didnt have the strength to get my HR up there. My legs felt dead and I felt like I was going in slow motion. Probably because I must have bumped my computer signal and it wasn't reading my speed. Ugh. Then, a guy with a flag in a turn around confused me and I turned around at the wrong spot. If I had know what my mileage was, I probably wouldn't have confused it. Oh well. I am bummed that I made such a stupid mistake since it cost me 1 place, maybe 2! The strongest head wind was on the way back. I was miserable and just wanted it to be over. I passed many Team Rev women going out and they all yelled encouraging words, but most of the time all I could do was nod my head and try to keep focusing on my form. Once I could see the finish I added a gear and pushed harder. My legs screamed NO, but I knew it would be over soon! Thank God! I finished 6th. Just 3 seconds behind 5th and approx 13 sec behind 4th. Damn turn around!

Sunday Morning Crit:
Up early again. No one looked very awake this morning! It was cruel. But, the nice thing was that the weather was supposed to be rainy and cold and miserable, but the sun came out and it was near 50 degrees! Very awesome. I was a little anxious about racing in the rain. Though, I need to do it sometime... Anyway, we had 2 new women this time. Not sure if they did the TT, but they had not raced in the crit yesterday. I wasn't sure how I would fare against fresh legs. I went up to pull the first couple of laps and had a hard time tucking back in. No one wanted to pull. Ruth got up there and helped me out and other Team Rev women took some time on the front, but I ended up spending a lot of time up there. At one point I pulled way to the left and slowed down to about 16 mph and the whole field was still behind me. I couldn't believe it. I know that everyone was fatigued today, that was obvious, but so was I! They called the prime and I was 2nd wheel. Steph was up front and I offered to help set her up for the prime and jumped in front of her. However, right before turn 4, Ruth jumped and went for it. I stayed with her. She gapped the field very quickly. Jackelyn Denny (a very strong 14 yr old Jr) was on my wheel the whole race and stayed for the push to the prime. I urged Ruth to take it easy until she got closer, she had a lot of room. Then when Jackelyn jumped, I yelled for Ruth to go for it. She sprinted and grabbed the prime! I was hoping the 3 of us could stay off the front longer, but by the 2nd corner, the field had caught us. Like the last crit, a couple of people tried to make a move, but the field stayed together. I kept trying to get tucked in, but it didnt happen for long. At one point I was on the back and with only 5 to go, I did not like my position. I was afraid someone was going to attack and I wasn't going to be in a very good place to bridge. I moved up some and then at 3 to go Karen put the hammer down. She definitely mixed it up and picked up the pace. Again, I was worried I was going to be too far back, but I squeezed into 2nd or 3 wheel and thought Id be good for another lap. However, at 2 to go I somehow ended up back on the front and at this point NO ONE was going to pull. I slowed down the field a bit, but everyone was enjoying the draft. This is exactly where I didnt want to be for the final 2 laps. Ugh! I knew it was going to come down to a field sprint and I wondered how I would ever sprint well enough to place after pulling so much. on turn 4 I could hear everyone adding gears and I did the same and picked up the pace hoping no one would go around me and I could sit until 200 meters. Then Ruth yells, "Jamie, watch out, on your left" a girl had jumped and was sprinting past the pack. I stood up and added gears and tried to stay on her. She was one of the fresh legs and had not pulled once during the race. I knew this wasn't going to go well for me. I pushed and my legs and lungs screamed at me. I could tell that Teresa was going to get the 2nd place and me and Allison were now just millimeters for each other. I pushed as hard as I could over the line and beat her by a hair for 3rd! Another great sprint, I just wish I had been able to recover more before it all went down!

Great weekend of racing. My goal this weekend was to finish top 3 in both crits this weekend and it feels SO GOOD to have accomplished that! We have such a strong team and I couldn't have done it with out everyone working together at various points in the race. It was also awesome to watch the Women's Open races and hear them talk after the race about how things went and what they wish they could have done differently. Its a great way to learn! We have an awesome group of women, and Im SO proud of all of us!
Rev on!