Tierra Del Sol
My 1st Road Race. I’m a Rookie, I lost my number. Today is Monday, and I just found it this morning.
I am a Cat IV.
I didn’t know what to expect. I know what my good friend had told me; “watch out for Rachel, she may break and TT the whole thing. Watch out for Dot, she has been in some accidents”
So that was my strategy.
I put myself in a place where if Rachel took off, I could go. I never let myself get boxed in and I stayed away from Dot.
There was a Rachel who led the whole race. I just stayed behind her, or in front of her. I couldn’t let her Pull the whole way.
Another girl did some pulling too, in the front 2/3rds. Kudos to her.
At some point, we dropped half the field.
There was a point, since I was determined to have myself, centrally located for the aforementioned reasons, where I wanted to be. I got a, “It’s a little tight in here”.
My response, “A little tight in here? Go up front and pull, there’s tons of open space up there”
I took turns pulling with Rachel from Kick Stand.
And the girl who ended up taking 3rd.
I didn’t mind pulling. I began getting a little bored, and I wasn’t working very hard, so I decided to initiate some more strategy. I remembered how one of my 1st Texas mountain bike races, I tired someone out from my style of riding = Brake/Power Out: Brake/Power Out.
So I would pull, then, hit a 10 second sprint, and then, back down to 10%over the Power Outage I was maintaining in the pack. I did that about 10 times. That was fun. I was hoping it may tire out some of the girls who didn’t pull but say….30 seconds the entire 46 miles.
I was sure glad that I was racing in a pack, because the scenery was lacking, and the wind, if riding solo, would have been mentally debilitating. I am always so grateful for my Rudy Project’s with the wings, to help keep the dirt out of my eyes. I know they keep my eyes safe from huge chunks of dirt and UV rays. Thank You Rudy Project. For protecting my head too! Other than using my brains for coaching, I hope I never have to use the helmet.
So I kept up with my strategy of the sprints…then, I saw it, a sign, a bright day glow yellow sign, so I brought the hammer.
Then, I got to the sign, it was the 1km to go sign: DOH!
DOH!! That’s the 1km to go, not the finish!
Then, everyone started their hammer. So I tried really hard not to put my hammer down.
That was tough. So I did the best I could to sprint a mile. I managed pretty well, as well as I could.
1st place went to the girl who didn’t pull more than about 30 seconds.
2nd place went to the girl, who I don’t think pulled at all but her Teammate, worked her ass off.
3rd place went to the girl who did an AWESOME pull for a long time!
4th place went to the Moron who had never road raced before and thought the 1km to go sign was the finish = ME
5th place went to the girl who did ALL the work. I went up to her post race, the only girl I saw, and congratulated her on a great race, how strong she was, and how I admired her for doing so much of the work.
Me, my ears were burning. I’m not sure if the other girls liked me too much. Other than blowing the finish, with ignorance, I had my own race, and it was fun! I like strategy. But I can’t tell you what mine is for Sunday, sorry.
This Sunday will be way different! One, it’s an omnium, Two, it contains Heart Break Hill.
By the looks of it I am getting my Leadville Legs back! Thank You, God. Here I am with the Mad Duck debut and the new 2013 kits. They’re hot. And I have been very busy:
Thank You Mad Duck Cyclery for you Awesome-ness!!
I don’t have a couch right now. I have gone from this look:
To everything sorted and now in bags.
I am waiting on a couple of addresses and an electrician to finish, and they, will be on their way!
Kyle got an 11th place Cat III. This is mega awesome. I now call him the Rocket Man! He has so much talent. When I say 11th place, that is out of Cat I/II/III’s; not just III’s.
Kimmie did a little Splash and Dash on Saturday. I think, she said she got 7th. When Shonny V shows up you’re likely not going to win the thing!
What did you do to pass the time this Easter Weekend?