Time Trial & Road Race

Written after Nationals

   Going into this weekend I was the most rested and more ready to race then I had felt in a couple months.   Racing and traveling all of April got me in race shape, but all the travel and solo responsibilities drained me aswell.  I had about 3 weeks since tour of the Gila ended to US Nationals, it was great for resting and getting some solid training in Tucson.

   For just 2 days of racing I had quite the trek this past week. Since I’m not paid, have no job, and dont have travel covered for races, I have to be super tight with money and spending.  So i  have to find the cheapest way to get to races, and this often doesnt equate to the easiest way of getting to the race.

   Just to give you an idea of this journey … 

   I left monday evening from tucson, spent the night on my friends couch in phoenix, flew at 6am on tuesday to St. louis, Missouri.  Got a rental car, drove 7 hrs to Chattanooga, Tennessee.  The next couple days were spent in a cheap motel, complete with microwave dinners and bags of salad.  I road the courses and rested up for racing.  Before the race I had to move hotels to go to where my team was.  Once racing was said and done, i left at 5am tuesday morning to drive the 7 hrsback to st. Louis, returned the rental car, cab to my next cheap motel, and spent the night before flying back to phoenix and driving to tucson. FINALLY arriving.  (i left a lot of frustrating and complicated details out, but believe me it was NOT an easy trip)

Now to race stuff

   The Time Trial course was great, besides the 4 turnarounds, and 4 super tightturns.  i liked the rolling hills and flatter sections that could really be powered through.  The course was 2 laps of 9.3 miles, 2 out and back sections each lap.   I went all out and by the second lap was just trying to tell my legs it was almost over.  I came in 31st, with a time of47:17.  I was only 3 seconds off top 30.  But i cant lement too much because I left it all out there and pushed so hard.  Because of all the turns this course definitely favored those with experience and tt racing practice to know the perfect lines and how to maintain the highest speed even through turns and turnarounds.

I have a lot to learn but am also strong and ready to keep pushing.

   The Road Race course was basically a glorified crit with a couple climb laps.  We started in downtown Chattanooga and did 3 x 5 mile laps around the city center.  Then out to Lookout Mountain long loop for a 5 km climb and that consisted of another downtown loop also.  That was twice, before going back to the circuit for 3 more laps.  In all, 3, 2, 3.

   All my nervousness that has been subdued for the past day all came rushing back in the 5 minutes before the start.  They even had a 10 second countdown that didnt help at all.  But once we got rolling and the attacks upfront started i just went with it and the nerves relaxed.

   The 3 circuit laps werent too bad and I was feeling good.  Still tough with a pretty fast pace, but enough to get the legs warmed up and going.  We headed out of the circuit towards the climb and things were going well.  Then going over some railroad tracks, I probably road over the worst possible spot to go over.  My bike hit a huge hole and I was momentarily relieved to see my front wheel was ok, but that was a fleeting sense of security as about 10 seconds later I felt my back wheel rolling weird and someone behind say “youve got a flat”.  Damn

   I pull left then after the group passed pull right.  Jump off, undo my wheel as quick as possible, and by that time shimano support had arrived, they put on another wheel and push me off.  All I could do was go all out to get back on.  i get up to the caravan, but since Paul (the kenda team director) said there was absolutley no drafting, I couldnt get on the cars to move up.  I got to the hill just as i was starting to catch riders.  Slowly I moved past, but not fast enough to get up to the group.  As soon as I got to the decent (dead tired from my all out climb), all I could do was tuck in and fly down.  On the rest of the long lap through downtown I was with another rider, but we couldnt manage to bridge the large gap.  Went into the climb again and just did what I could, there was no possiblilty of getting back in… Bummer.  Once I got back to downtown they were pulling all riders not in the front pack.  So the race was down to the tough riders still up front, and all I could do was stand on the sidelines and watch where I should have been.  I was ready and the course was good for me to do well.  They placed me 52nd 

   Now Ill be headed back to Santa Fe, New Mexico.   It is WAY too hot in Tucson now for good training, up to 90 by 9am.  So going back to SF for the summer will be good altitude training and my base for traveling out to races.