FROZEN FLATLANDS 2009
TEAM RIVERSTONE
ME AND CHRISTINE WORKING IN THE CIRCUT RACE
GETTING READY FOR THE WOMEN'S 4 CIRCUT RACE
WARMING UP
THE START OF THE TIME TRIAL
BEFORE IT ALL GETS STARTED
So this weekend marked the season kick of race of Frozen Flatlands. A weekend of racing that tests how well we have all done in our training over the weekend. Saturday started out with a 12.5 mile time trail, followed by a 29 mile road race. Sunday was the circut race. I will do my best to have this serve as a 'race report' so here it goes....
I guess it all started Friday night, packing, going over the list of things needed, loading it all up in the car, making peanut butter sandwiches, preparing water bottles etc. I woke up way too early Saturday morning and headed over to Coeur d' Alene to catch a ride with a friend of mine in to the race. We got the car all packed up and headed out around 6:15AM, ouch! It was a bit cold out and ice was still on the road when we arrived in Cheney for the time trail. It was supposed to start and 8:30 but do to the ice every one's time was pushed back 30 mins. I took my normal 3-4 trips to the Honey Bucket and then got on the trainer to warm up. I went in to the TT feeling pretty good and knowing this was one of the races I could do well in. I knew I couldn't win it but I figured I could be in the top 10. I went out feeling good, and trying not to push too hard. I remember thinking about half way out to the turn around that I was feeling really well considering I was riding in to what at times seemed to be a bit of a head wind. Then thinking if that was the case the ride back should provide a nice tail wind. It was hard to tell though really which direction the wind was coming from. It wasn't a true head wind but wasn't a tail wind either. At the turn around I glanced down at my watch and realized I was on pace to PR, holy crap! At that point I just about did throw up a little. I turned the corner (not like my coach told me to-dang need to work on those!) and then put my head down and went for it. Each turn of the pedal grew to be a bit more painful. I was trying hard to catch my one minute gal (who was a teammate of mine-and riding a fancy new TT bike) but was never able to catch her. I gained some time on her but just not enough. I also kept thinking that there was still a road race to do in a few hours. Weird game that you play with yourself when you are out on the bike alone. I wanted to go hard and was but kept trying to do my best to keep something left for the road race. When I crossed the finish line I felt like I had left it all out there, went hard and did my best. When the results were posted I was happy but bummed at the same time. I had done my best time ever in that distance but was 11th, one place out of the points. UGH!
After the TT I did my best to recover and get ready for the road race. Soon it came time to get ready all over again. A bit reluctantly I got dressed and ready for the race. I was extremely nervous for this one, as usual. We took of and right away I knew this race was going to be fast. I don't know if it was the excitement of having the largest women's field ever at this race or what but we rolled out for our 'neutral' lead out at a blistering pace. WAY faster then any neutral lead out should have been really. Right from the gun the pace was set pretty high and the Group Health and Northern Rockies gals were trying to push the pace and break up the field. All of us Riverstone gals that were near the front along with the Zuster gals were able to keep it somewhat in check. About 5 miles in the first big attack went and 6 of us were able to stay with it. A few miles later, 3 Riverstone gals were up in the lead pack followed closely by me and one other teammate. We worked hard to stay with them but found ourselves slowing moving back. At one point I told Chrysite, we have 3 up there and two more behind us, should we try and get back together with the other two and then try and bridge up? We slowed a bit but soon noticed the small group behind us was not gaining. We made one more good solid effort to try and catch the lead pack but were never able to. Shortly after what is called 'the wall' of this race, Chrysite being the stronger rider over me left me. I had no real pop in my legs and was starting to feel like crap. The last 6-8 miles were not good for me and I just was wanting to get it over with at that point. I think I ended up like 28th or something out of 50. I need to find a way to get stronger on those road races that's for sure.
After the TT I did my best to recover and get ready for the road race. Soon it came time to get ready all over again. A bit reluctantly I got dressed and ready for the race. I was extremely nervous for this one, as usual. We took of and right away I knew this race was going to be fast. I don't know if it was the excitement of having the largest women's field ever at this race or what but we rolled out for our 'neutral' lead out at a blistering pace. WAY faster then any neutral lead out should have been really. Right from the gun the pace was set pretty high and the Group Health and Northern Rockies gals were trying to push the pace and break up the field. All of us Riverstone gals that were near the front along with the Zuster gals were able to keep it somewhat in check. About 5 miles in the first big attack went and 6 of us were able to stay with it. A few miles later, 3 Riverstone gals were up in the lead pack followed closely by me and one other teammate. We worked hard to stay with them but found ourselves slowing moving back. At one point I told Chrysite, we have 3 up there and two more behind us, should we try and get back together with the other two and then try and bridge up? We slowed a bit but soon noticed the small group behind us was not gaining. We made one more good solid effort to try and catch the lead pack but were never able to. Shortly after what is called 'the wall' of this race, Chrysite being the stronger rider over me left me. I had no real pop in my legs and was starting to feel like crap. The last 6-8 miles were not good for me and I just was wanting to get it over with at that point. I think I ended up like 28th or something out of 50. I need to find a way to get stronger on those road races that's for sure.
Sunday brought the sun and even warmer weather and the inevitable sore legs. It also brought my favorite race of the weekend, the circut race. When I arrived Sunday morning I was a bit nervous due to the fact that my legs didn't feel so great. I got on the trainer and started to warm up, took all of my pre-race drinks, vitamins etc. While I was warming up I was able to watch our team director take her race in a very convincing fashion. I think her lead at the end was close to 2 minutes! It was so much fun to watch and gave all of us on the team some good motivation for our race. When we lined up team Riverstone once again was the most noticeable kit out there. It was so great to see that many women out there racing and enjoying a sport I have grown to love so much. From the start of the race I felt good and like I was going to be able to do my job to help our GC leaders stay up front and have a chance of winning. By the end of the race we were for the most part in the position we needed to take our leaders up to the front. I didn't have quite the spot I wanted going in to the final turn but ended up having a pretty good sprint and finished strong.
Overall team Riverstone had a great showing for our first race of the season and as a team. We had 6 girls (I think) in the top 20 overall and each and everyone of us had a blast racing this weekend. I have to say congrats to the Zuster Cycling team as well, they came out as a new women's team and had a great showing as well. I look forward to racing and working with them in the future.
This weekend was easily the best weekend of racing I have ever had. Thanks go out to Jenni, our team director and the one we all look to for advice and inspiration. Thanks as well to all of our sponsors who believe in us and have helped us with this new team. Without you we wouldn't be out there doing this. THANKS!
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