Race Report #2

I was nervous going into the race with the men last week (finally just posted that race report). The goal of that race was to finish with the pack. If that was nerve-wracking, today (Saturday) was far, far more so.

Today was my inaugural get-to-know the women racers of New England race in Attleboro, MA. Of course, it's a new place to me as it is, seemingly, every time I go anywhere even slightly out of the routine.

Why was I so nervous? Because of expectations. Racing with men is easy. There are no expectations for an unknown woman who enters a men's race. If you get dropped, no biggie. If you hang in, wow, good for you. However, racing with cat 1-4 women of whom I have no idea of anyone's strength is intimidating. Which wheels are good? Which are sketchy? I have experience, but I haven't trained to race in a loooong time. I've been riding for the sheer pleasure of riding a bike with friends, that is all. This means that I haven't done any intervals, no sprint practices, nada. And, funny enough, I've really been having fun every time I go out on the bike. I refuse to burn out on something that is so important to me.

First thing this much-too-early morning, I saw Sara-Jane, a friend and wife of one of the guys I ride with. She was nervous about officiating her first race ever and I was nervous about racing. It helped calm me to know I wasn't the only one jumping in head-first. Huge kudos to Sara-Jane and all of the officials out there (Jay, etc...) We wouldn't have racing without you out there.

8 am was simply too early to start racing for my tired legs. A four-day work week meant having to squeeze 5 days worth of things in 4 days. Not complaining, last weekend was a good holiday weekend. Can't remember, though, the last time I got to sleep in. This is the way I like it.

Tomorrow is going to be a mellow start, but I do want to get this up before any more time transpires. Previous race reports have meant a lot to have in the archives, so this needs to go there, too.

Turns out, the women in the field are pretty cool here. I had no issues with anyone in the race, I saw a lot of camaraderie between racers on different teams and it wasn't a problem being totally new out there. After the race, everyone was friendly and I got to meet a lot of the ladies I'd just raced with. On a side note: the cat 3 and 4 women seemed satisfied with the race, too. Many were proud of how they raced and I didn't hear anything negative.

Will tell the rest of the story in pics:

After the race, the girls I had warmed up with were cooling down happily. They both raced great and were so fun to have out there. We will be training and racing more together. Now I've just got to not get sucked into cyclocross (they're really into it, the CX racing here is all the buzz right now...I think lots of people race on the road just to get ready for the dirt).

 

Here's the starting field...~30 women total, not bad! Combined 3/4 race, 30+ and 45+. Interesting, huh? Very different from Colorado. It wasn't timed, either, just a set number of laps from the gun!

Was able to get in a break with these two girls, but it didn't last very long. We needed to commit a bit more and I think it would have stuck. I bet the other two are known out there as girls to not let get away. It was so interesting to race as a completely unknown entity.

I spent most of the race riding at the front just trying to stay safe and ride smart. Finally - FINALLY - I figured out how to go into a sprint on other people's wheels and ride around to cross the line first. Yes, it was like breaking some impossible barrier: won two primes, the first time to win a prime since I raced in teeny-tiny cat 4 fields 5ish years ago. One was $10 cash and the other prime is for embroidering a race jersey so that the safety pins don't ruin the jersey. So as soon as my Ride Studio Cafe jersey comes in, I will want to take advantage of it.  A nice wool Rapha jersey needs to not be destroyed by safety pins!

The final result: 2nd place in my cat and a whole lot of relief to have that over with.

Afterwards was a fun ride on a gorgeous bike path in Rhode Island (hello, Rhode Island, my you're close to Mass. and I can't believe we just met for the first time today!) Lunch of seafood, ravioli and fabulous veggie burger (very green, all that much better) was enjoyed over the water and then there was still time to get home, read, relax and get a few other things done.

In New England style, the day ended with ice cream. This is ridiculous...can you even tell what it is?

That's right, it comes in a cardboard box because it's guaranteed to drip everywhere. Banana split with a single banana but pints of ice cream and whipped cream....it is not humanly possible for four people to eat something this size!

With that, it is definitely time to sign off. Tomorrow is a day I have been looking forward to quite some time...going to test ride a Seven bicycle (full titanium)!!! Can't wait to see how it feels as compared with my steel steed. Considering that my steel Serotta bike is doing great keeping me happy in the saddle for loooong 150-mile rides and it's hanging in there for the crits (and I haven't forgotten the carbon bikes that I've ridden recently--TCR-0 Giant and Trek Madone), this is going to be interesting to add a whole new dimension of bicycle in the mix to those I've experienced up to now.