Yes.

My answer to a race? Always yes. I love to race, even when its a terrible finish or a race riddled with mistakes and mechanicals, there's no better way to spend a day. So when my friend Dawn (who is unfortunately moving to Miami and later South America soon...don't you feel so bad for her?...please note the sarcasim) invited me to the Tour of St. Louis, to spending the entire weekend racing, I had to go.

Once again, i felt Chicago late. The initial plan is to leave around 3pm, beat the traffic, get in early and maybe even sleep. 7pm rolls around and i still have to make my usual Whole Foods stop. 4-5 hours of driving, i can get in around midnite, eh thats plently of time. the rain was really pouring most of the way...i was tempting to stop in peoria for the nite, but with only 2 hours left of the drive and it was only 10pm, it just seem easier to keep going. I also spent a good amount of the drive trying to figure out where this sense of deja vu was coming from as i passed the ISU farms, various malls, etc (wasn't until i saw the sign for Litchfield that i remember, oh right, Hillsboro like less than a month ago...). Got to the hotel about midnite but for some reason i have a tendency to watch something (anything really) on TLC to 2am on race weekends...i don't know why...

Saturday (Race 1): 60 min + 5 lap crit, changed to 50 mins + 5laps b/c the officials were running late. i had woken with some hip pain, but just figured i slept wrong. I was given a warning that Team Revolution would be the team to watch since they had 6 in the field. Ok, makes sense. The course itself was a loop in a park, two hills, two-ish descents and i think about a mile in length. This didn't seem bad, i've done longer races before and i was feeling pretty good. then the attacks started. i hung on for the most part, stuck with the group on the climbs and just conscentrated on watching TR. with a small field of 9 riders, you kind of had no choice but to go with the attacks otherwise you're off the back and not in contention. TR would send one rider out and another following a counterattack. each time the attacker was brought back, another attack would go. the other ladies would then slow down the rest of the field and i can't even count the number of times i was either blocked or pinched in a turn. good tactics on their part, obvious lack of knowledge on mine. speed wise, i was fine with this race but i have a lot to learn about racing this caliber of rider(s). i finished 7th.

Saturday (Race 2): 9 mile TT in a nature conservatory. the road was awesome...recently paved, very little in the way of hills (stand up, couple of pedal strokes and its done). wind was minimal (at least if you consider the ABD TT in Maple Park...monster wind). After napping (and getting a sunburn) in the car in btw races, i rode fairly well. my legs were hurting from this mornings race lesson and that stupid pain in my hip came back, but overall my ave speed was a bit of 21mph (vs my last TT which was 19) and i pushed myself that last .6 mile at 25 mph...didn't think i could do that and it wasn't as hard as i had expected it to be. i really have to get over this mental issue and realize i'm stronger than i presume to be.

Sunday (Race 3): another crit, once again shortened to 50mins + 5laps. The course was in a park again (such a beautiful area in St. Louis!) this time much more flat with 2 short but windy hills. TR was out again in full force, this time attacking from the start line. I tried going w/ each attack and even caught the attacker at one time, but when the 2nd attack from the field came, i just dropped back and hung on. there was lots of blocking and lots of attacks. 2 riders got away from the group and there didn't seem to be much attempt to catch them from the rest of us. I noticed various possible times and just wished i had a team with me. I took the pull a good amount, but more so b/c i had trouble getting away. attacks on the hills, attacks on the flats, attacks on attacks, i even said out loud "you gotta be kidding me!!!". About 30 mins in, my leg just cramped up, from hip to knee. Is this the IT band coming back to haunt me? I just couldn't push the pedal to stay and i dropped back. It still hurt to pedal, but i was going to at least finish this thing. I came across a Big Shark rider (turns out i rode with her and her sister at Superweek last year) and we worked other. The riders were still in sight, i figured we could do this. a lap later, she tells me she'll try and help me but she doesn't think she could keep my pace for very long (whoa! i'm setting the pace?!) i tell her i'm not going to drop her, let me know if she falls off...a couple of laps later, i'm glad i made that decision, b/c its obvious my race is over, its just time to finish. We still rode hard, and i just tried to work on a few things (like excellerating in the drops, pedalling thru the corners, pushing my speed in the wind). the leaders came around and i told BS to make sure she gets on...i jump back into the group and finish with them the last few laps. I took 8th.

So lets see...my results? pretty crappy. the racing? it for sure a learning experience. TR did come over and apologize...they were using these races to practice for their upcoming GA racing...yup, turns out most of the TR riders were part of their elite squad. Wow. I've never ridden with riders like this, and definitely the most difficult racing i've ever done (and i'm including superweek). I saw team tactics and had it used against me. i pushed myself and noticed how far i've come since the previous year. Granted, i've got the brace back on my right leg and hopefully i can get this recovered before Joe Martin. But all in all? It was a great weekend, got some tough racing in and met some really great people. as i was driving home, i was thinking about how glad i am that monday is a rest day...until i saw the exit for batavia and thgt "i can't wait for my next ride...". See? Always yes.