The race dates back to 1985 - when I was sporting my sister's yellow banana-seat huffy on the neighborhood streets. My history with the race started in 2009, when my former team was accepted into the race. Unfortunately, a mishap at Tour of Somerville relegated me to the caravan in the team car for the big event. While it looked super hard and super hot and the girls were killing themselves out there - I still wanted to post up in the big show. Yeah, we're masochistic like that.
Fast forward a few years - an ugly crash, a couple years out of racing and a "comeback" season in masters racing. Out of the blue, Kelley and I were asked to guest-ride with Riptide Cyclng/Team EPS p/b Shebell & Shebell. This was an amazing and unexpected surprise. I guess surprises are usually unexpected but you get my point.
I drove up to Kelley's place early on Saturday. Traffic at that time in the morning was a breeze, mostly because the people smarter than me are still asleep. As soon as I pulled into her neighborhood, my "service engine soon" light came on. Sigh. Then I get out of the car to realize that my remote key lock doesn't work. Double sigh. I hate when things don't work.
Some of the other girls arrived -introductions were made and immediate logistics were discussed as we pulled ourselves together to check out the course and open up the legs after the drive. We were 20mins out when Kelley's phone started ringing off the hook with registration issues. We turned around to high-tail it back to get to race HQ. Just as we were getting to the house, we got a call saying we didn't need to go to HQ. We turned around again to head to Lemon Hill. We got up the hill and ... one of the girls had a flat. She was riding deep dish rims and we didn't have a tube with a long valve - not for lack of effort, though - two tubes and 3 CO2's later Kelley and I did a TT back to her house to pick up a car to grab the girls we left on Lemon Hill.Then we had to get my car to the BMW dealer to find out what was wrong and whether I could go home.
I'm exhausted just writing about it.
Speaking of valves, the BMW dealer said I had a faulty hooter valve. I interrupted to say "ok, now you're just making stuff up". He appreciated my sense of humor but proceeded to tell me why it's called a hooter valve. Apparently it "hoots" during a diagnostics test when it goes bad. I digress. FINALLY, we got back to Kelley's where another guest rider (Stephanie) arrived with her husband (Jon) after a marathon drive down to Philly. They returned after a quick ride to de-stress and Ken, another of the Riptide Cycling crew, arrived to affix transponders and frame numbers on bikes. Jon, a bike mechanic by trade, was awesome and helped all of us with various bike adjustments.
Dinner was at a phenomenal place named Winnie's, right down the hill from home-base. A fabulous Salmon Nicoise dinner later, I was about done for the day. We shared rooms at race HQ (Thank you, Riptide Cycling/Team EPS!) so we retired there for a good night's sleep. Of course, not many of us really slept and the alarm went off early for the 830 start time.
Race day. A quick warm up in Kelley's parking lot after a quick breakfast and we were off. Luckily, registration was only a block or two away. We arrived when it opened to register the team. Then, we wait. I loved seeing some friendly faces in the crowd - clearly surprised to see me there as I hadn't really made it public that it might even be a possibility. See my prior post about not claiming goals out-loud. Lineup was supposed to be at 815 but teams were already at the line at 805 - I learned *some* lessons from Speed Week and knew I didn't want to start at the back. I inched up every chance I had and wound up in a decent position. Then, we wait again. The start line was at the top of the "Wall" so we couldn't even relax on the bike - we would have rolled backward. FINALLY, call ups came along and girls shuffled through the pack to get the front line. Then, music got louder and whistles blew and before I knew it, we were descending off the wall into the first right turn. I distinctly remember thinking to myself - holy crap .... this is really happening!!
The pace was hard but steady and I was working on moving my way around in the pack. Pick up a spot or two, find an opening and stick myself in it, stay away from squirrely wheels ... I have to admit I was fairly happy with myself. After the descent, we had a few ups and downs until we got on the flat of Kelly drive. The race promoters had cones on the center line (the course went both ways on that road) which caused some near misses as you couldn't see the cones unelss you were in the front. There was some melee behind me but I don't know if it was an actual incident - I never looked back.
We made our way up Lemon Hill and I played the rope-game - start near the front and try to grab onto wheels if (when) I drift back. I'm happy to say that I survived the climb and was rewarded with a fun downhill into a semi-tight right turn back onto Kelly drive.The pace slowed a tick and, with the cones removed (thank you, race promoter), we essentially had 4 lanes to maneuver. I was getting squeezed in the middle so I drifted back to run up the right side. Then - it happened. Again, I don't know WHAT, but I heard bikes and bodies colliding diagonal and on the left ahead of me. This happened in the top 20ish riders. I was near the front but off to the right so as bikes slid right, I was just ahead of the melee. For once in my racing career, I managed to be in the RIGHT place at the RIGHT time.
The wreck was like an explosion in the pack. I stood up to catch on to those that were ahead of the crash and saw Stephanie ahead making a huge effort to get on as well. I finally made contact after chasing what was left and tried to catch my breath - timing was impeccable (note: heavy sarcasm) as we made the right turn into the cobbles and the quick left to start the legendary climb up "The Wall". I was ok at my pace but these girls had no interest in slowing down for me. I became unhinged right before the top and chased down hill. Another group came by me and some friendlies encouraged me to latch on. I just couldn't hold a wheel (sound familiar to my speed week report?). I lost them and continued to chase - the wind was ... wow. Good time trial practice, I suppose. Some more riders came up - clearly having been in the crash. The entire Fearless Femme (FF) squad was caught up in the wreck and those able to ride were killing it to catch up. I sat on another friendly (Thanks Erin!) for a half minute before being dropped. Up Lemon Hill and back down Kelly Drive and another FF motioned for me to get off the right side of the road - I was clearly in deficit as I didn't realize I was on the wrong side of the road. I saw Kelley going by the other direction and was relieved that she was not part of the carnage.
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| Philly 2013 Post-race |
Finally went through the cobbles again and started the climb up the wall. I hoped they wouldn't pull me yet, another lap wouldn't have killed me. Going up the wall is painful and amazing at the same time. Cowbells are ringing, people are shouting encouragement and yelling your name. The sheer volume is worth a few more watts, another pedal turn. Billy, SuperDave, Stokely, Ted, Greg, the awesome volunteers out in the middle of the road shouting at you to go- you've got it- go get it. Other girls coming up with me telling me to keep going. It was like everything going too fast but in slow motion. I know that makes no sense but words can't describe the scene.
I rounded the turn to the top where the Start/Finish line was and saw the official in the middle of the road. I nodded my understanding and pulled off at the corner. Team director Teresa was there and gave me the lowdown on the damage- the 3 team riders on EPS had been caught up in the crash. Two were out of the race and another was still in, just making time. Stephanie was in the 2nd group on the road, Kelley was coming up behind me. Then I heard that Alexis, she of NCVC, she who has really become a rockstar this year, broke her collarbone pretty badly. I was very sad for her. I saw ABRT in one of the chase groups the next go round and another ABRT a little ways off in a smaller group. Very proud of our local contingent. Remember, these are the PRO'S - national champions, USACRITS leaders, Fearless Femme, Colavita - the superstars of women's racing. And I got to play for a lap or two with them while some other locals were able to stay in longer and really represent themselves, their teams and the district.
I can now say I raced Philly. Given my difficulties this season, I'm ok with the result. I want to go back and I want to do better - hopefully that opportunity will present itself next year.
2 comments:
An awesome read to start my AM here in Germany. Way to go Ms. Plane Jane...way to go. You are a Pro!
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