First off, I should preface by saying, I was totally in this to be a fitness race. I wasn't going for stellar results. I had done a hard race-pace ride on Tuesday and jumped in a crit with the men's 4-5 field on Wednesday so I was going pretty hard for this race. I was hoping to do well in the crit, maybe.
Friday, Day 1: Time Trial
I drove up with my teammate Leslie that morning to start our race around 2 PM. As usual, I was feeling sluggish. I feel sluggish before 90% of our races. On the start line, I couldn't seem to get my balance to the let the holder hold me clipped in. It sucked - but with 15 seconds to go, I told him not to worry about it and I'd push off. I tried to get my head in the game. One thing I did fairly well in this time trial was staying in my aero position, even when it was a little turny. Coming up to the turn around though, was a long hill and that was slightly soul crushing. I was so tired from giving all I had up that hill, I unclipped in the turn around like a total newbie. I was not proud of it but I felt skiddish and unstable.
We turned around and I bombed back down the hill, which made me feel a lot better. My teammate, Erin, who is a talented time trialer, passed me (she started 1 min back) and I knew she was killing it. We ended up a fairly steep, short hill that actually wasn't too bad for me. I finished up in 6th place/12 racers which was solid. My teammates placed 1, 2, and 3 so that was pretty cool and I was proud of them.
Saturday, Day 2: Criterium
I had laid out a plan for this race with my teammates Leslie and Erin. I knew this race meant a lot to Erin and I just wanted to finish well. Unfortunately that whole plan went out the window when some masters racers sprinted off the line at the very beginning. Leslie and I ended up working with a few masters for the rest of the race. It was disappointing to have the whole thing blow up like that but there isn't a lot to be done once it's blown up other than keep working hard and see what happens.
The race was tricky. The corners were all pretty tight and chewed up.
I was disappointed but just reminded myself this was what I expected from this weekend and at least I had a teammate to work with.
Sunday, Day 3: Road Race
Road races are never my bag. Try as I might, I just can't climb very well. I enjoy it but I can't hold. It's probably partially a practice thing and partially just because I'm heavy from year and years of being overweight and some genetics that make me not a small person. It's an uphill battle - all puns intended in every way. But, I know if I don't do it, I'm not going to get any better, so I just keep on keeping on. This was a 5.5-mile loop we were going to do 4 times, each with 500 ft of climbing (for you non-cyclists/runners out there, that's a fairly decent amount of climbing).
I managed to stay with the group basically to the top of the big climb on the first lap, but I was completely toasted doing so. As they turned to start their first descent and then go into another little climb, there was a good attack and I had nothing. Coming through the first lap, I didn't think I had it in me to do the 5.5-mile loop three more times, but I didn't want to get a DNF (did not finish) and I knew I wasn't in last place, so I forced myself through it. Each lap I just kept counting down and made it through.
By the end of these three days - I was done. I'd spent, essentially, 5/7 days that week working at race pace. I didn't want to sit on my bike anymore. It took two days for me to get back on the bike and a third day to do any kind of real riding. I think that's what you call burn out for sure - but it definitely was a challenge!
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