State Road Race Championship
The State Road Race Championship was Sunday. The course was part of the infamous Silk Sheets venue in Fulton County. I did quite a but a training out there over the winter. I was going for the win and the State Champ jersey for the Women’s Pro 1,2.
Overall, I felt we raced well. The girls attacked and I sat in offering only random flyer attacks until the last climb. I attacked hard hoping to TT to the finish. One rider went with me and we tried to make it stick. Two riders from the same team working together chased though. We tried to counter attack but nothing stuck so we had to sprint at the line. I got beat at the line by one friggin wheel length. 2nd place. Bummer. Oh well. Chin is up. I’ll focus on Masters Nationals at the end of the month and see what happens there.
As I was standing a few yards from the finish sniveling like a lame sore loser, I noticed a big feild coming in. Marc was hammering at the front! He won the 4/5 State Championship jersey! I was so happy for him that my sore loserness no longer mattered. This was his moment. He’s worked hard and he deserved this win. Congrats Marc!
When I think about how far Marc and I have come since our training adventures last year, I can’t complain. I made it to the Women’s 1,2 podium and Marc won the State jersey! Good times.
5 commentsFirst NRC as CAT 2
So here’s the goods my people…
I upgraded to a Cat 2 after Athens. This means rollin with the big girls now.
Headed to the Sunny King Crit in Anniston AL Saturday for my first NRC Women’s Pro 1,2 race. At the line I realized I was only 1 of 2 solo riders. All the other women were part of big national teams. I was kinda wonderin…what I have gotten myself into?!
About 40 mins into the 60 min Crit, a $100 prem was announced. I was positioned well and felt good so I went for it. I got it! Then I realized I had a pretty good gap on the field so I went out to see what would happen. I took 3 laps alone. Noone chased because they didn’t know who I was! The other solo rider in the pack (Kirsten Davis from Sorella) said there were conversations happening in the pack with race directors via radio and among the teams. Riders asking if they should chase, who was I etc. The announcer had to find my name. The crowd kept me going. They love when a rider attacks and they love to see them hold it for a few laps. A $60 prem was announced and I took that one too. Once I saw the Cheerwine team hammering the front, I sat up to be swallowed back up by big girls. It was a total blast. I sat in and recovered finishing late but still in the money. Went home from my first NRC race $200 richer!
Sandy Springs crit was Sunday. The course was fast. About 50 mins in, there was a wreck and I got tangled in it. A rider hit her pedal on the curb in the turn and took down some other riders. I went sideways into the barrier. No injuries, just a scratch and a dropped chain. I jumped back in, finished late but in the money again! yay!
I learned alot this weekend. I have alot of things to work on but this is definitely the level racing where I can learn and work for what I’ve trained for. These girls can ride! Congrats to my team members who also raced this weekend Colby, Jason, Jay, Ricky, Michelle. Way to roll ya’ll.
I also have to shout out to Martin. He did his first road race (run) this weekend and totally blew away his goal. He killed it! I think he’s hooked which is awesome. He takes on the Ranger Run next weekend.
I’ll be heading to McMinnville TN instead of Cumming this weekend.
Peace and love ya’ll. Let me know what’s goin on with you?!
Athens Twilight Crit
What a total trip.
Lined up with over 80 of the best women riders from all over the nation. Most of them part of big teams with headphones in their ears to receive direction from their race directors via radio. I was told to get to the line early to get a good position. They actually lined us up at the turn before the start and we had to sprint to the line for our position. I managed to get a great a spot just one rider back from the start. Then they called the leading national pros to the line for the well deserved courtesy of starting at the line.
Just after the start was announced, so was a $100 Prim. This made for an all out sprint. I immediatetly went aneoribic and was having a hard time recoverying! (Typically the pace is cool for at least a lap while everyone settles in and feel the course.) I just kept pedaling hoping the pace would let up and I wouldn’t get dropped. Once a rider is dropped, a motocycle directs them off the course to avoid hazard. Women were dropped on the first lap! The pace was mad fast and treacherous, as women were shoulder to shoulder diving through the turns. The course was narrow and bumpy. There were spectators EVERYWERE…in trees, on roofs, hanging over the fence on the course. We had to duck to avoid the spectators as we were taking corners. (I was like now I know how the guys in the Tour must feel when those dumb ass spectators are all in their space.)
I absolutely suffered for the first 10 minutes or so until I sensed the pack tiring. Then good ole endurance kicked in and I started positioning. I was thrilled to be on Tina Pic’s wheel at one point. Tina’s our nation’s pro champ. She’s won the Athens Crit five times! We raced for 50 minutes which felt like an eternity. The smoke from the vendors grilling sausage was in my lungs and I remember thinking…I’m in hell right now. By the time they announced 7 laps to go, I was whupped. I remember thinking if I worked any harder to position, I’d be putting myself and others at risk because I was so tired. The final sprint is not a place to be sloppy. So I settled in and rolled in 25th. $80 payout and the experience of competeing with our nation’s top women. Woo hoo! What an experience.
All the while putting up this fight, I kept thinking about everyone who has believed in me, helped me and inspired me…my dad, my family, my team, my sponsor PEACHTREE BIKES, my mentors (Bob, Sue, Andres, Tony, Steve and the list goes on…), my friends…
Many thanks to those of you who sent text messages and vmails. You’re awesome. Those of you who were there, it was so good hearing the shout outs… I can’t even tell you. I had to dig deep for this one. Your cheering made all the difference!
It’s such a rewarding feeling to put all that training to work. Hell yeah!
Here’s a video to give you an idea of what the whole thing is about mom and dad…click here to watch
4 commentsShout Out
Just now checking my spam filter and found some comments from my peeps. Sorry I missed those guys. You motivated me to get some updates posted though!
Hope all my tri buddies who raced last weekend were met with cooperative conditions and no mechanical or digestive issues. lol. Post a comment and lemme know your story.
Well my life plate has been overflowing lately. Spread thin with family and work stuff, my race season hasn’t kicked off as well as I had hoped. Nonetheless I’m putting in the time, learning alot and trying to have some good ole fun. Hopefully we’ll see good results later in the season.
Albany omnium - done
Perry TT (training race in the guys no women’s field) - done
Gainesville omnium - done
Chattanooga omnium - done
Athens Twilight Crit - April
Roswell Crit - April
Tour of Atlanta - May
Union City - May
Rome -June
National Masters Championship - July
Gwinnett Bike Week - July
Augusta - August
In other news, Martin, CJ and Brit have been goin to the gym regularly! Martin has signed up for his first two races including the Ranger Run which is close to his heart being the Army Ranger he is. I’m super proud of them. They’re really getting fit and lookin great. Brit recently had surgery on her receeding(sp?) gums. Not fun. She’s been a total trooper though is recovering fine. I won’t be surprised if she never touches apple sauce again when this is over.
That’s about it fer now. Ya’ll take good care and keep your wheels rollin forward!
4 comments