So last weekend I got pretty sick heading into Warwick UCI/Verge races. I started Saturday and had to pull out. I was in no shape to be racing, considering I took the day off from work Friday. I have still had a cold throughout the week, but it has been getting somewhat more manageable. I had a warm mug of Theraflu and headed to the race. It was a good temperature out for me. I got to check out the course at 10:15 and discovered it was pretty wet and slick in parts. I had on a skinny front tubular (my regular one is being sent to the manufacturer for defect) and I decided to get a clincher from the Shimano tent. I proceeded to the course again and it was much better, although heavier. But on this technical course, the weight was not that much of a dis-advantage. This was my kind of course, with lots of twists and turns. There were 4 places for dis-mounting. A small set of barriers, a fly-over bridge (which was pretty difficult running up, re mounting at the top, costing down the other side into mud, and clipping in!), a sharp turn into a 10 foot sandy steep run up, then a large set of barriers by the beer tent. I got front row, but I still managed to screw up my start! I could not clip in and I was in too big of a gear. This really threw me off. I was a good 10 places back from where I should have been, and by the time I got around everyone who was going slow, the three leaders (Sally Annis, Crystal Anthony, and Catherine Sterling) were 15 sec ahead. I tried to gap up to them, but being alone, it was hard to move up. Their gap opened each lap, but so did mine on the two racers behind me (Kate Lyskowski and Francis Morrison). I was a good minute up on them, but then on the last lap I was being "cool" and grabbed a beer in my left hand over the big barriers and when I "slammed" my bike back down, the chain fell off to the inside. Grrrr! I tried to remain focused and breathe, but it is always hard in the race. I lost a good 30 seconds trying to put it back on, but I only had 1/2 a lap left. As I was rounding the last corner to the straight away finish, one of the Cat 4's (they started 30 seconds after us and I was on my 2nd time lapping 1/2 of the field...frustrating!!! When there are more than 30 racers signed up for each race, they need to have completely different starting times!!!!) lost control of her bike and jammed me into the corner and we hooked handle bars and went down hard. She was okay, and so was I, but I had lost another 15 seconds on Kate and Francis, but luckily it was the finish. The race was about 40 min. We did 5 1/2 laps (each lap being around 6-7 min). I had a blast in the race. Despite being sick, this got me back and focused. I ended up fourth, in the pay out, out of over 35 racers Cat. 1,2,3. I am looking forward to Regionals next weekend. It is sad that will be the end of the season, it has been such a fun one! I have learned and improved a lot for my second season with the sport.
Saturday, December 10, 2011
Sunday, December 4, 2011
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