Speed Week-end

Its 730pm and I just changed into my jammies and I'm super excited about going to sleep soon. Most friends and loved ones already know that Wendy likes her sleep, but today is a special sleep day - I raced 3days in a row. I have traveled between Baltimore, Annapolis, DC, NJ, back to DC and finally back home to Baltimore in a span of less than 72 hours. Logged almost 600 miles driving. All to race approximately 70 miles. And those 70 miles were ... pardon the french.... balls out the entire way. I loved every minute of it. Even the minute where I rolled over some unfortunate girl's wheel as her bike slid across the road at bike jam. Even the minute when I was coming into the finish at RFK and around the final turn, Sonja clipped her pedal, fish-tailed and recovered (but gave me a heart attack as I was right behind her). Even the minute after the Colavita gal cooked turn 3 at Somerville coming into the bell lap, causing a chain reaction where a CycleLoft gal locked up her breaks and slid wide, taking me into the curb. Especially the minute where I managed to come to a stop right as my front zipp was kissing the curb, clipped out and touched my foot to the curb to stay upright and took off. Another Colavita gal came by me as I was getting back up to speed and told me I have a future in cyclecross. I thanked her for the encouragement once my heart disappeared from my throat.

Bike Jam for me was as it usually is ... (excepting last year, which, again, dont get me started on my training issues for 2007) ... we rolled around in a group, some surges went, we went with them, I found myself drifting toward the back through the top side of the course where I am deathly afraid of those damn little metal feet on the barriers that stick out like a foot and a half and are about pedal-height. I would then try to gain position on the little chicane, only to get squeezed through the backside, then inevitably I'd be in the wrong lane as everyone slammed on their brakes to get through the tight left. I'd semi-chase back on and make up lots of ground on the "hill", which was a lot less painful than I remembered it to be. Wreck happens on the front stretch and I'm pinched to the inside - I see the girl in front of me take a dive and watch in slow motion as her bike slides across toward me. On the brakes, I resolve that my bike can roll over a wheel, so I do it and make it through, only to see the field going down the road. I chased for all I was worth - and when I was about to blow up gloriously, Chris Kelly came by me to take a pull. Bless you, Chris. We flew through the circle and the left turn - then the wonderful Moto-ref came up and said we were neutralized, relax, we're all starting back up together. I still think we'd have made it, but it would have been ugly. I roll up to the back of the pack to find my chain dropped - dismount, fix the chain, hear my good friend Jill yell my name. Quick hug (a sweaty one at that) and the whistle blows again. Come around on the last lap, a Juice Plus girl causes a separation in the field when she takes out a few people. Luckily, Leslie was ahead of the crash. I was not. Lets face it, its not a surprise I was behind it ! 29th, upright, all my skin in tact. Except where I smashed my hand in my trainer earlier in the morning. Beautiful, no ? It felt even better.

Next day, RFK. First time I've ever raced this course. Another "dont get me started" story. It was fast and flat. I hovered mid pack most of the way but found a little more confidence and started playing a little during the middle of the race. Following wheels, I wound up in a couple of moves. I jumped across to another one. Leslie was staying a little smarter than me, nearer the front, but I just wanted to play a little. Relatively safe race, although a last lap crash did bring out the ambulance. Coming into the final turn, I hopped on Sonja's wheel as she had some momentum. And I lost every bit of that momentum as I watched her recover from clipping her pedal. Upright, all skin intact ... and 29th, again. Leslie finished up in the top 15. Watched the 3/4 girls play while we waited for payout ... fun race to watch, and our girls were super active but super smart during the race. We got a 4th and 5th, despite some miscommunication at the end. Sweet.

In the car for 4 hours to NJ, but Leslie booked a sweet hotel and after we ate a turkey-avacado burger (yum!), we put our feet up and basked in the knowledge that we didnt need to get up early. Our race was fast - haven't figured out our average, but I know that drifting through one of the turns I looked down and saw 25. Drifting. Much more comfy after two days of racing, so I moved up and down through the pack, finding the best lines, trying to be energy efficient and just having fun. I found Leslie in the pack quite often and tried to hang out near her. She gave me a wheel to move up toward the end of the race but I didnt react quickly enough to grab it.... I'm thankful I missed it, because on the next lap the Colavita girl next to Leslie went into the corner too hot and cooked it. (no pun intended) (but it is kinda funny). I got caught up in the melee that followed that incident, but managed to stay upright and finish it out in ... 48th. I dont care about that number - I already won my race since I managed to not get taken out in the frantic last two laps. Once again, Leslie scored a top 15. I have GOT to learn to close a race like she does ...