Oh how I love to throw my bike...

I really do, but unfortunately I rarely get the chance. I haven't hidden the fact that my racing hasn't been going as well as i hoped; while i've been able to find the bright side in most of my races, these past few weeks have been really hard. "i need to sulk for awhile" was repeated lots.

Since Joe Martin, i've done six. Of those, only two count in my head as good races. Of the entire season so far? i think i've had 3 good races. looking at the math...i've done close to 20 races already. wow. didn't even realize that until now...Since this entry has the potential of being a book, i promise to try to:::focus::: and just do quick entries.

Monsters: cat 3 race, 30 mins + 1 lap (i think)

Love the monsters course, completely flat, 4 corners, rectangle shaped. usually a headwind on one section. last year, i came in about 14 in the cat4s, i stayed with the pack for the entire race, but got pinched on the 3rd turn (stupid inside corner) and couldn't make up the ground. This time around, i promised myself, i would not get in that position. Throughout the race, i moved around, but always with the pack. at one point, i did try to catch an attack but instead of making a 2 person paceline, i ended up just bringing the rest of the riders with me. oh well. (my 'cross friend Lindsay entered this race and was i impressed when she crashed 2 laps to go and then just jumped back in. that girl is tough!) Down the back straightaway, i find myself on the inside track. What the hell?! No way...i can't move, i've got people all around me. i look back...wait, can it be? There's no one...i tap my brakes, move right and straight up the right hand side. I get behind MP in 3rd position. It comes down to the final sprint, xXx rider took the pull in the final 2 turns w/ MP and me following. While we tried a lead out, i had to move around and start my sprint (too) early. I managed to take 4th. This is one of my good races.

Memorial Wknd Racing (Iowa/Illinois)

Ok, my first time doing these races, i felt good. 2 races in the 1/2/3 field and 1 in the newly added 2/3s. I was really excited for that one! Plus monsters went well, right? Well...in neither of the three races did i do anything remotely race report worthy but here it goes...

The first race, in Melon City, was so hard. Yes, it was hilly and yes it was fast, but seriously? why was it that hard? I don't know. The only good thing about the course was the speed bump...leading up to the race, i had visions of high speed car chasings on the streets of San Fran but in reality? So much fun, i got air on every lap! But, sadly, i was pulled with 2 laps to go. Didn't even get a place on the finish list. Went back to the Illinois border (after searching high and low for a mystery mall b/c the Garmin took us to an deserted parking lot and the Starbucks barista gave us the opposite directions...), my awesome friend Ran and i went searching for Thai food. Apparently sunday night in the Quad Cities gives you three options 1) Bennigans, 2) Pub/bar food or 3) italian buffet. We opted for #1. Quad Cities 2/3: bad. just bad. 8 corners, basically flat and just fast fast fast. I got dropped basically at the start line. Sure i couldn't clip in (again) and there was an attack from the start (again), but seriously, at this point, i feel as though i should at least be able to stay with the pack for a little while. The officials did let me finish this one, but i did get lapped and i did come in WAY last. And yes, it was actually embarassing to hear my name from the announcers. by dawn's suggestion, next time i'm bringing a bull horn to yell back at the announcers. Quad Cities 1/2/3: yeah, really dreading this race. relaxed for a bit in the hotel before heading back down and wandering the streets with Ran. We went to this cafe that advertised "massage lotions" and "panini sandwiches"...with advertising like that, who isn't going to be curious?! Turned out to be a great place though and we had a good lunch. 40 mins til race time, i hop on the trainer. My legs were really hurting, i needed a long warm up. i had a good position at the start and managed to clip in. i stuck with the pack for 1 lap. yes, 1 lap. sad. at the 22 lap mark, i got pulled. I guess when the officials saw i would soon be lapped for the 2nd time, i was out of contention. I didn't really understand what was wrong. I've put the work in, i've gotten stronger and i'm getting dropped by everyone and their grandparents. My poor family/friends/etc who had to deal with me sulking for the rest of the week...

ABD Twilight/ABR Nat'l Champs

Yeah, i really didn't want to race. i was so upset and still sulking from the previous weekend. on my wed ride, i just sighed for the first 15 mins. i can't remember the last time i just didn't want to be on my bike. but thats the thing, no matter how many times the fun is sucked out and is a disappointing day, in the back of my head i know i'll be at the next race. i may still sigh at the beginning, but i'll be there. Twilight didn't go well...my first time racing this course, it starts with a curve to an uphill. you think it'll finish at the top/the left hand turn, but you actually continue to climb. A dowhill to a right turn, more down to a left and another left, back to the start finish to do it all over again. I remember liking this course when i practiced it last year, but i definitely didn't like it saturday. an attack on the first climb dropped me. i worked with 2 other riders for most of the race, but lost a spot on the final sprint b/c i tapped my brakes while she pedaled through. I tried to slingshot out of the corner, but when you don't really have a jump and the other rider does, you just try to make the best of it. I came in 11th. Nat'l Champs oh jeez...my nemisis aka the hill. first race course i'd ever done back in 2005 in the citizen women cat. i took 3rd and walked away with a powerbar tshirt. i also experienced my first crash and my first free lap/getting thrown into the pack (all within the first minute of the race!). yes, i'm an overachiever. Got there early, and was surprisingly sore so i took a longer warmup. the course has 4 corners, the 2nd leading into the hill that starts as a false flat into the first half of the steep hill, a slightly flatter section and then UP into turn 3. a fast downhill into turn 4, into the final straightway (or as the announcers called it "the longest sprint in the WORLD!"). I was not looking forward to this. getting dropped really takes the fun out of racing and my track record here wasn't keeping me positive. My plan, don't get dropped, stay in the front. At the whistle, i couldn't clip in (but on rides? i'm like 99 for 100 perfect. ugh) but i got it and pushed it for the pack. No way am i getting dropped this early. after turn 1, i moved to the right side and stayed there til we approached the hill. i decided to move up the right side, lightened the gears and moved to the front of the pack to take the pull into the next 2 turns and down the straightaway. it felt so good to lead the first lap. i kept moving around for the first half of the race, always trying to be in the front on the hill in case an attack occured, i'd only lose a couple of spots rather than getting dropped completely. it worked until a second attack on the downhill happened and i just couldn't make up the ground. I end up riding by myself for awhile, but i can still see the 2nd pack so i'm working hard. All i end up doing though is catching a xXx rider on the final lap. Coming down the hill, i'm in the draft but its slow and i'm worried i'll lose her if she jumps so i decide to go. i keep dropping gears, telling myself "she's coming" b/c i swear i hear her and i swear i see her shadow getting closer and closer. i see the announcers stand and the start/finish line and i hear xXx click another gear. Crap. I'm not going to lose this now...i use my last gear, stand up, lean back and threw my bike. love it. I don't even know how close the other rider was. it could've been my imagination that her wheel was next to mine...the first question i asked (as i'm still gasping for breath) was "did i get my place?!" b/c even if i was wrong, i'll never believe we didn't fight for that place. it was a 9th vs 10th not 1st vs 2nd but the way things have been going lately, i'll take it. For now.

I really tried to keep this short. as you can see, the way i feel about my ride/race is directly proportional to the length of the race report. a couple of months into the season, i'm not where i want to be and i'm not even sure why. yes i've been picking hard races, but who wants to be good at easy races? nice for the ego, maybe, but until you're up against riders from places like texas, colorado, oklahoma, or california, that 15 min crit isn't going to do much good. I've got a couple of off weeks coming up, mainly b/c i'm tried of the driving and the next IL race was cancelled, but there might be a kentucky race next weekend. for now, its back to HCs and PTs workouts, lets try and get those watts back up.