O'Fallon Grand Prix 2009

Saturday, May 30 was my second (annual) O'Fallon Grand Prix.(That's me hiding behind the Metro-East Cycling girl. See my white helmet?!?)

I love this twisty, turn-y road race in rural Illinois. So I was pretty sad when I woke to the sound of rain....solid, thunderstorm-type rain. After a brief attempt to talk Phil out of going (unsuccessfully), I got my proverbial and literal Sh*t together and we headed off to O'Fallon.

Just as we arrived, the rain stopped! The Sun peaked it's head out! The humidity increased! Oh, well, two out of three ain't bad.

Cory and Jay pulled into the parking lot in front of us. I was happy to see Cory and excited to hear that she would be racing with me.

As I registered for the Women's Cat 4 race, I noticed some of the other names on the list. We were up to 9 or 10 at that point and the list included Gina Champion (Team Mack), Natalie Carrol (Dogfish), Lauren Half (Dogfish), Susan Kloha, Cristel Santiago and Kate Keeler (Ghisallo), The Suzanne's from Veloforce, Gina Richards (Big Shark). Cory Redmond (Fulcrum coaching) registered just after me. Ouch, some tough racers in that group.

We got ready at a nice pace, took wheels to the wheel trucks, warmed up and headed to the start. The Pro 1,2 had already started.
We noodled around and made small talk as we waited. At first, we were mixed in with the Women's open. I like to guess who's a 4 and who's in the open, but it always makes me more anxious. I started to notice that the great majority of these ladies were in my race. (we had 19 total, whereas the women's open had 6!).

Since I procrastinated writing about this until several days later, some of the finer points of the race are now forever wiped from my memory. There are some interesting and somewhat inconsequential parts I DO remember.

1). As we were waiting for our start and Sharmin, our lead official, was making the obligatory announcements, an ARCH helicopter landed in the field next to the start. I felt both completely freaked out and relieved - if it's possible for both of those to exist in the same second! It took a few seconds to realize that it was there just in case, and not due to a crash in one of the fields that had already gone off.

2). The first thing I noticed during our neutral roll out was that someone had lost their wattage meter computer thing. We rode over it near the start. I also noticed Gina had the same kind on her bike and like the BIG DORK that I am, I suggested that she stop for it so she could have an extra!

3). Just after we passed the "Begin Race" sign, scrawled in pen and attached to a street sign, I was at the front and commented to Gina (Team Mack) that there was a big garage sale in the neighborhood we were passing and we could all just pull off and go shopping. (I am firmly planting myself in BIG DORK category here!)

4). After the first turn, I look up the road and notice what appears to be a dog, running across the road. I immediately think that it's the kind of dog that is going to chase us as we pass. When someone goes charging past me from behind, I initially think she's trying to outrun the dog. I realize, simultaneously, that she is attacking AND it's a FOX, not a dog. I can't help but verbalize the later as we pass. I jump and cover attack 1 (I think Cory may have tried to go with her).
We head into turn 2 and Anona (Wild Card) attacks again.

5). There is a pattern beginning to form. Anona attacks at every hill and turn. We scramble to cover. I drift to the middle/back of the pack.

6). There is a hill. It's longer than expected and hurts. The field splits up. I chase to get back on. I pass Susan Kloha and Suzanne Johnson. We bridge, only to see the 1k to the sprint sign. ARGh. I am toast.

7.) I watch Suzanne Woodard sprint with Anona and Gina. I yell "Go Suzanne". As this is happening, I am trying to bridge, again, to the back of the front group (I'd fallen off again as they ramped up to sprint). I am on Suzanne Johnson's wheel and realize that as I am cheering on Suzanne Woodard, Suzanne Johnson thinks I am yelling at her. We sort this out, I get on her wheel and she bridges us up in one smooth acceleration. Our group has been thinned to 11. (Anona/Wild Card, Gina/Mack, Gina/Big Shark, Kate/Ghisallo, Cristel/Ghisallo, Suzannex2/Veloforce, Susan/St. Louis Tri Club, Lauren/ Dogfish, Natalie/Dogfish & Me).

8). We go down a hill and I see a Turkey. I say, aloud, "Oh, look, a Turkey!"

9.) Later, we go down another hill and pass something that looks like a hunk of wood. As we go around it, some one comments and I recognize the "wood" as an upside down Turtle. I am sad about this! I hope someone saw it and turned it over.

10). We go through the tunnel. It's not as bad as I think it'll be. There's a hill afterward and someone attacks (again). I am climbing and realize I am hovering over my saddle. My legs feel strangely good and very strong. I don't get dropped! Our group of 11 strings out but stays together.

11). I stay at the back. I watch as Anona and Gina trade attacks. I comment to Lauren (Dogfish) about how predictable they are getting. We slow to a near stop on the flats. Anona questions if anyone else is going to pull. I comment, from the back, that we should not be so eager to pull because she will just rest and attack again. Natalie moves to the front to pull. Within 2 minutes, this happens.

12). We are on the flats with about 6 miles to go (?). I am still at the back of the pack. Suddenly, there is swerving ahead and the next thing I know Natalie is in a ditch filled with water on the side of the road!. Cristel also went down. Someone to my right barely avoids getting tangled up. I brake, look at Natalie, look up the road. Gina, Anona and Gina are quickly getting away. I take off after them.
Suzanne x2 and Tri girl join me. We quickly catch Gina/Big Shark, who didn't quite bridge to Gina/Mack and Anona/Wild Card. We're all tired and wheels aren't as steady. There's a headwind.

13). We go down a hill and up a short one. It hurts but it's short enough that the hurt doesn't last.

14). There are two SLOW moving trucks in front of us. We can't go around. One is a wheel truck and the driver pulls over to let us pass. The other is a citizen. He's slowing to stay behind a Cat 5 racer. We are screwed. The lead group is getting further and further up the road. Suzanne (x1) goes around the truck on the left! (we'll discuss this later). The rest of us stay back and the truck pulls off the road into a drive way. We surge forward and I catch Suzanne. We climb the last hill. She's strong and I make a note just to try to stay on her wheel. We give a steady climb and at the top, I ready myself to chase her sprint. BUT - Suzanne sits up! I hear someone behind me adding gears. I go for it.
I find myself passing Suzanne. The noises from behind me become more distant. I can't believe it, I am going for 3rd! Then I realize I will be finishing right in the middle of the women's open pack as they complete their first lap. Since there's no one close behind me, I kind of sit up, allow some space between me and the Women's Open and make my number as visible as possible as I cross the line.
I want to make sure my 3rd place finish is seen!!

Wow, this podium stuff is starting to become addictive! what an awesome race.

Cristel ended up taking the wheel truck in. She was pretty banged up and there was fear of a torn calf muscle (I think it was sprained). Natalie broke her frame in two places. The top tube was nearly broken through. But she finished! After the race, we realized that she had borrowed my wheel from the truck to finish on.
I'm glad I could help and even more glad that I didn't have to battle it out with her in the last 6 miles. I'm not so sure I would have gotten 3rd!

Wheels Over Wildwood - My First Win!!

Wow! Wheels over Wildwood definitely held up to it's acronym. It started with the Time Trial on Saturday. True to my ability, I had a mediocre placement. I was ecstatic with my finishing time, having knocked 30 seconds or so off of last year's time. Still, I placed 19/24 with a time of 34:26 (on a 20k course - 12.4 miles).
After a reward of Bread Company for breakfast -Alice and I headed to the crit course to check it out. Man, it looked hard and felt hard - even just on our "test" laps. I stayed a while to watch Phil and the guys put hay bales all over the place. The course had some tricky down hill, right turn into a climb corners that needed MUCHO hay! After that, I was cooked and Phil and I took a nice long nap when we got home. Oh, before I left the course, I volunteered myself to help out at Registration....only to discover I was wanted there by 6am!!

5 am came all too soon on the alarm clock. After a splash of coffee and last minute prep, we were off. We arrived at 6am on the nose and I was ready to volunteer. Phil got right down to pre-riding the course for his 7:30....make that 7:45 start. They were 15 minutes late, so in effort to stay on time, the officials cut Phil's race down to 15 minutes! Phil finished 7/15 but expressed a little disdain over his finish. He looked good whenever I saw him and looked like he was setting up his teammate for a good finish position. 8 of the guys in his race, including Phil, finished within a second of one another!

So my race got underway at 9:47am. There were 10 of us at the start line (preceded by 9 in the women's open). It was a good group of ladies, with some very strong talent in the bunch and a few unknowns. There was a little controversy, for me, at the start when a friend of a new racer was giving her tips including cornering on the inside of a slower rider. Yikes! Since it was my safety at stake out there too, I spoke up and I am sure stepped on his toes a little. I didn't discourage her from taking his advice but suggested that she first watch how the other ladies cornered before blindly trusting that she could move up on the inside of a turn unscathed. (She ended up doing pretty well for herself, especially for her first race).

Most of the race is a blur. I know Suzanne and I took the lead from the neutral roll out. It was nice being first in the turns. Suzanne continued to pull as we moved into lap two and I expressed my concern for her. There was some movement and it seemed everyone worked, at least a little. I stayed up front and tried to keep a good position. I felt like I was there or very nearby to cover attacks. I think I initiated the first attack - on the second climb. There was a lot of breaking in the turn and the field split up a little. I had no glue... they caught me pretty quickly. I think I may have held them off until the top of the climb. Boy, they let me stay out there to work a little more though - pretty smart of them but sucked for me. I moved back in to a nice place and around we went. The prime lap was called. Alice and I were at the front and I started to sprint for it. I knew it was tickets to the Magic House - a prime perfect for Suzanne or Cristel, but it didn't seem like anyone was going for it at first. Suzanne seemed to come out of nowhere, from the right and got that prime that was rightfully hers! It was a beautiful sprint.

Around some more we go. At some point, we weren't sure of our remaining laps - the lap counter was being used for the concurrent Women's open race. Someone finally yelled that we had 3 to go. Yay. It seemed there were a few more attacks. Dessa pulled hard up both hills and on the second I thought she was going to walk off the front. We reeled her back in and continued on. With one to go, Lauren (Dogfish) attacked just after turn 1! Into the down hill turn. I jumped on her wheel and made it known that I caught her with a quiet "cough". She slowed a little (or so it seemed) and we were all back together.
There was another attack on hill two but we all covered before it got too far. Later, Kube told me that it caught her by surprise and was just enough to send her off the back for the last bit. Fortunately, she missed a little bobble in the last roundabout section. Apparently, someone tried to cut inside on the turn and sent the rider there into me. I had room to go right and forward. There was a pretty good touch of brakes but everyone stayed upright. I saw the world open up. Ahead there were three (I think) charging for the line. I added some gears and gave it my all. I caught them and began to pass. I thought the line would never come and just before it did, I inched ahead. AND I MEAN INCHED! I won by fractions of a second.
Cristel (Ghisallo) came in second and Lauren (Dogfish) third. Cat - on her first race! - got 4th. Alice (My Hub teammate) was 5th. Dessa -representin' Team Rev!- got 6th in her first crit too. Suzanne (Veloforce) was 7th, Kate (Ghisallo) was 8th, Gina (Big Shark) 9th and Kube (Dogfish) 10th.

I missed Kate, who couldn't race due to Baby BR, and Cory,who couldn't race due to lil Sassy. I was so happy to see them at the end. It was amazing getting to stand on the podium. Though I realized that the one thing that mattes the most is my friends. I had done this with no one there to share in my victory, it would never have carried the same weight. None of this is worthwhile without my friends! (and Phil, of course!!xo). Maybe some day I'll get that fierce competitive focus where I don't care about those I race with and only focus on winning......Nah!! Well, maybe a little bit of snarkiness is necessary.

TNW

Hi Mom! I think you are the only one who reads this!

I do this more to journaling my experiences, to look back on, than to publicize them. If you happen to read this and you aren't my mother, hello to you to.

Any way.... I did my first Tues Night Worlds race last night. TNW are weekly criterium "practice" races. There are three races - A, B and C. C races are for beginners, like me. The A & B races have been going on for 2 months. The C races started last night.
Phil did his first TNW last night too. He was in the C race too. I didn't see him after the first lap, until he lapped me with 3 or 4 to go. He did really well in his first race.
I, on the other hand, didn't. I got dropped pretty hard on the first lap. It's rough because I managed to hang with the pack for the most part last year. Most of the ladies I raced with last year are moving to Cat 3, or are at least continuing to hang with the Cat 4 pack this year. I have spent every crit, road race, circuit race off the back and usually alone. I am not sure what's going on. Well, I think I can guess. I am trying to "train" but I don't really have a plan. I know the basics, but I'm mostly doing Team Revolution Group rides, or Maplewood Group rides or racing. I am not doing intervals, I am not doing hill repeats, I am not doing sprint work - at least not planned. I get all of those things in the various rides/races.

Also, I am not lifting weights. I think this was something that really helped me in 2007. I just haven't gotten back into a routine at the gym. I am riding my bike too much! And for that, I get dropped off the back.

This was true for me last night. Off the back I went. Off the back I stayed. Kate came up right after I got dropped. She promptly passed me on the climb and invited me to grab her wheel. I did, for about 10 seconds and she was off like she shot out of a cannon. I couldn't stay with her. I watched her bridge up to a guy. They worked together for a bit, then she passed him and dropped him too. I eventually bridged to this guy. I quickly realized why she passed him. I passed him too, but he kept coming back up to me. He was strong on the climb, but tuckered out near the top. He'd rest on the flat, into the turn (braking!) and then pick it up again on the climb. I'll bet we did a cat/mouse thing for 4 laps. I was getting pretty irritated. I just wanted to drop him! I kept my sights on Kate, but she kept up her speed and got further away.
With 3-4 to go, Phil passed me. He had two guys on his wheel. It took me a second, but I quickly realized one of those guys was the guy I was fighting against. I let the anger motivate me and caught his wheel. I sat there til he tuckered out again at the top and passed him - AGAIN! I got away from him again on the last lap. I thought I had a good advantage going into the last turn. I picked up speed then took off out of there, trying to stay ahead on the climb. He caught me at the top of the climb - Turn 3. Then I saw him drop down and prepare to sprint. There was no way I was going to let this guy go. I grabbed some gears and off we went toward the line. We stayed neck in neck but I think he got me by about 1/4 of a wheel. Next time.....

Overall, it was a good race. Chris commented that it doesn't usually get so strung out. I am not sure if that was meant to encourage me or what. Phil, who got 6th or 7th by his own estimate, said his average was 22.6! I didn't even look at my computer. I felt great on the ride home. That's what happens when you have an intense 20 minute race!

Til next week....

Tour of Hermann 2009

Bring on the weekend:
Phil and I had a wedding to go to in Washington MO on Friday night. To cut down on drive time and increase sleep time, we opted to stay over in Washington Friday night.
The wedding was fun, but of course we left later than we wanted. I was surprized that the Super 8 was clean and in good condition; however, I soon learned that the noise from the hallway was channeled and amplified directly into our room! That combined with someone talking loudly every hour made for a poor night's sleep.

5:30 am came too quickly. We wandered around the room, got into cycling gear, loaded up the car and hit the road by 6:15 am. Here comes the rain. And more rain.

It had decreased to a spinkle when we arrived in Hermann; however, as we drove to the start area, we quickly realized how detrimental it was not to bring trainers. We parked, got in line for numbers/chips, pinned numbers, said quick hellos to friends as they rolled in. By that time, we had 15 minutes to warm up, on wet roads. Fortunately the rain had stopped. The sun even came out for a minute. We warmed up around town, including of course, hills. Some how, the only time I got my heart rate above zone 3 was on one of many climbs off the main drag. Actually, I think it was a descent (Steep, with a stop sign and traffic at the bottom). White knuckling!

Although the start was delayed by 15 minutes, that time passed quickly. We continued to roll around near the start and began to shed layers of clothing we realized we wouldn't need. It wasn't until I lined up that I realized we had a REAL start house, complete with a RAMP!
Phil went off :30 before me. As he climbed the step to the start house, I heard the announcer comment about him. I laughed when he stated "Phil got up this morning and thought this would be a great day for a bike race." Little did he know what Phil really thought about this day! I was laughing and shaking my head, which lead the announcer to comment that I was laughing at Phil! Laughing is a good way to start a race.

I was up next. I was leaning so far to the left, I thought I was going to roll off the side of the start house ramp when the holder let me go. After I made it out of the start house, the time trial was relatively uneventful for me. It always takes me a second to realize that I should be racing, as I usually start like I'm going on a group ride. I got to the top of the bridge, realized I hadn't started my computer or hr monitor, got them started then tucked into a more aero position (at least attempted to). I also couldn't figure out where to put myself on the road. The shoulder was quickly disappearing and the rumble strip getting closer. To the right- rocks and clutter, to the left, traffic. I stuck right and dodged rocks til the first turn.
Fortunately, some one very fast passed me before the turn and I could watch his wheels through the turn. I followed his lead and turned without losing too much speed.

Right at that point when I start to get tired, heart rate spikes a little and I wonder WHY?, the head-wind took it's cue. Argh. I watched as my heart rate crept up and my speed dropped. I tried to change gears, spin more, spin less but it still hurt, I was still going slower and my heart rate did not cooperate.
Yay! Turn around point..... Oh, wait... I had to clip out to avoid crashing myself!
I stood and charged on. To my delight, there was a nice tail wind.
I enjoyed that wind. Picked up speed, decreased HR. YAY!
Solid left turn on the return. I gave a quick yell of thanks to the Police Officer directing traffic. Still feeling good. Cue wind, Cue bridge... ARGH. Repeat:increase HR, decrease speed. I must have just crested the hill when the picture was snapped (see above).And I then I was Done - and from what I could tell, I was under 30 minutes.

I found Phil on the cool down and we agreed to ride over to check out the crit course. We found some barriers and no parking signs and figured we were on course. I knew there was a hill so we climbed the first one we saw. Man, it sucked. I was using the whole road. When I reached the top, I thought "There is NO WAY I am doing this in a crit!" I could barely climb it once.
Soon, we realized we were backwards on the course. Yay!....Damn!.... We have to go DOWN that hill. It was poor pavement, with holes marked with spray paint, patches, loose stuff and STEEP!

Back to the car with a couple of hours to kill. Quick rest/nap. Bite to eat, something to drink. Radar to watch. A small rain cloud was overhead. It looked innocent and should blow through. A major storm was north/west of us but not a concern for us.
That little cloud stalled right over us. It rained from 11 -12:15. Our race was to start at 12:30 with the Jrs at 12. Those poor Juniors. I could see some of them warming up on the course in the rain.
I was warm and dry, in my car, getting ready to bail on the crit all together.

Peer pressure got me out of the car as the rain slowed to a sprinkle. Peer pressure got me on the bike, off the bike to take off my tights, back on and riding. (Thanks Jamie, Teresa, Alice, Cory, Allison). We did a lap to check it out. The hill climb wasn't fun. The descent was wet/scary. We climbed back to the start line.
As the Jrs went off, I stood around and made jokes to keep the anxiety down. One by one, up come the Mercy women. Yikes! This was truely a women's open. We were racing against some of the strongest women in the Midwest. It was bad enough that we had to race this challenging course, with wet roads! At least the rain had stopped.

Next thing I know, we were at the start line. 33 women signed up. I think 25 started. I positioned myself in the middle, back row to stay out of the way. Buddy talked, whistle blew and we were off. I heard a tangle to my left and right. Those in front of me were making their way quickly up the road. I instinctively went with them and soon realized that this was not really where I wanted to be. My goals for this race were to play it safe, have fun, finish (in that order). I slowed and let those behind me pass.
Down the hill we go. Some how, it wasn't as scary. Then again, I let the main group go down first. There were still a few behind be but we were spread out enough.
One of the PRC girls passed me at the bottom with such speed that I seriously though she was lapping me! No, she had gotten behind in the start tangle.


Somewhere in the non-hilly part, I found Cory. She already sounded none-to-happy, so we agreed to stick together, have fun. We stayed in sight of the pack up the first climb. Cory climbed strong and got a couple of bike lengths away from me. I got back to her at the top and we relaxed, breathed! Then, sprinkles, then rain! ARGH! We talked about bailing, but kept rolling.
Around we go again. Climb... clearly Cory has been working on hills. She was doing great! Up at the top, relax,breath then PSSSSSSS! Cory got a flat! I yelled to her to get a wheel and rode on.
When I got around to the hill again, there was Cory on the side doing cheerleader moves! I asked her what happened to the wheel and she let me know she didn't have the spares. Ok, on my own.
Around, SMILE, climb, SMILE, descend, SMILE, repeat.
SMILE, talk to volunteers, have fun.

Soon, Sidney passed me. She had quite a break. As quick as she came, she was gone.
At the top of the climb, I saw Rhiannon. I think she's quitting so I encouraged her to finish with me. She tells me she has a flat. ARGH again. Down the hill I go.
I am actually getting better at doing it with speed/less breaking and see my computer hit 35 mph.
I think I was on climb 5. Amy S lapped me. I catch up to her at the top of the climb. We realize that it's the last lap. Sidney is at the bottom of the hill and those lucky enough to be behind her are done. WE have to go around ONE MORE TIME.
I keep hoping that Sidney will catch up to me, ride with me on her cool down lap. That would have been cool. Rhiannon is still at the top, waiting for a bike so she can finish.
Last descent was fast, fun. Last climb was slower than ever. I savored it. Almost pulled my front wheel off the ground, I was going so slow.
Smiled again. Done.

I figured I was in last place from the first lap. I was ok with that. There's a time to be last and I was going to do it gracefully.
I thought everyone passed me. Little did I know that there were two more behind me, and Rhiannon finished on her sister's bike. I placed 20th out of 23. Smile again.


Sometimes you jump in with both feet and go. Other times you have to break down the challenges and tackle them one at a time.
I didn't fight to stay with the pack. That would be my goal for any other crit- just try to stay on, try to hold out the attacks, try to sprint at the finish. I am sure that is the way my friends raced. And they did well. They reached those goals.
I managed to stay safe, have fun and finish. It was a good day.

Phil raced the Men's 4/5. The rain stayed away for his race. He placed better than he thought, but not as well as he had hoped. 14th out of 20 finishers (+19 who did not start!)

I didn't do the Road Race on Sunday. I had planned to go into work to make a little time-and-a-half $$, but our computers were down. It rained all day and I ate all day. I am very very proud of my friends who did the road race (Cory, Jamie, Teresa, Alice, Lisa Q, Both Susans, Gina, Todd and Tim). I think it was a good weekend for all. We all have something to be proud of.