I am finally back from a week and half of traveling all over the Northeast racing my bike and "acting" like a pro bike racer. There were actual moments that I was riding like one too and those i will get into a little later on. It's good to be home but I ship off again on Tues of this coming week to go to the Nature Valley Stage Race in Minneapolis, MN.
More importantly, Little Lucy, my new pup, isn't so little anymore. I swear that she has gained 10 pounds since i left and has an attitude problem. A couple of nights ago while sitting on the couch with 8 of her bones and toys, I went to move her over and she growled so loud at me. I was scared. Now i have had dogs before that are a little possessive but Lucy has brought it to a whole new level. I took all of her toys away except for one and hid them. She then proceeded to go and find each toy and bring them back to the couch and hover over them again like someone was trying to steal them from her. These new actions on her part have caused me to stay up late watching episodes of the The Dog Whisper with Ceasar. He seems to know what he is talking about most of the time but whenever I do that sound that he makes, like your shooshing something, Lucy just looks at me like I am an idiot and goes back to biting the back of my legs and ass while walking. I think that guy Ceasar just likes walking around shooshing everyone...enough of that. here is new pic of Lucy Loo. Doesn't she look sweet???? I wander if there is a local Dog Whisperer who can help with Lucy...Here is a little Lucy Link for those of you that care.
So back to the racing adventures. Last week was busy. It started out 2 Saturdays ago in Arlington, VA at the CSC race. There was a decent field there with some pretty good sprinters. The race started aggressively with a couple of attacks. I was feeling good in the mix with just about everything. A dangerous break went up the road with LVG, an Aaron's rider and a couple of others. I wasn't worried b/c my teammate Leigh Valletti was on it. I sat in the pack thinking this was quite nice and that we were finally racing as a team. Well that break started to explode with some attacks within. I saw Leigh coming back with a few others but LVG and an Aaron's rider was still gaining time. For some idiotic reason nobody wanted to bring these two back. It was totally frustrating. I tried several times to get a chase working but nothing. Not even Colavita wanted to work. So the break stayed and it ended in a field sprint. I was 15th that day. Lots of hard work and not a lot to show for in that race.
Lancaster was the next day in PA. It was the 1st of race of 3 in the triple crown series. I felt really good this day and was looking hard to get in a break. For now, that is the only way i can get a top finish. There were some really good sprinters in this series and I felt this race was destined for a break. Sure enough, with about 20 laps to go a very powerful break formed including Ina Tutenburg, LVG, Theresa Cliff-Ryan, Catherine Powers, one other and me. I had been covering every move all day so finally when the break went on the power climb on the backside i was stoked and wanted this to stick. This was a powerful group and Ina kept attacking the break but I was still hanging on. This was a great feeling to be in the company of these riders. I felt all my hard work had payed off with this break but unfortunately the cycling gods weren't in my favor. With 5 laps to go i was sitting comfortably in the break going around a corner and my back tire flatted. I didn't quite know it until Ina was screaming at me in broken English that i had a puncture. I was so pissed. Headed straight to the pit but they had cut free laps off with 8 to go. They gave me a spare bike Mavic bike that was way too big for me and had toe clips. It was embarrassing and i felt like i was in the circus and all I wanted to do was throw that damn bike down on the ground. Oh well that's racing and it was good while it lasted.
The Reading crit on thurs wasn't much more exciting. With Ina and Laura there it was bound to come down to a field sprint. I raced aggressively and was off the front for a couple of laps but it was going to be a showdown of the sprinters again. I am trying to find my sprinting legs but more importantly i am trying to find the guts to be in the sprint.
In between races I spent time up in Westport, CT. It was great to be able to spend time at Targetraining and hang out at the shop. I even got to go on some training rides with the TT clients. Big thanks to all the support that our women's team has been receiving from all the Targetraining staff. They were super the whole week and not to mentioned tons of fun on the van rides to and from the races.
The Liberty Classic is always an exciting race. It has been a sprinter's race the past 3 years i have done it so i suspected it would end up in a field sprint. I was hoping for a break again but the shattered pack sat up after the last time up Lemon Hill which allowed all the sprinters to catch back on and make things chaotic for the finish. There was a crash in the last kilometer that caused me to swing way wide and lose my position. I ended up 33rd for the day. I felt great up the wall and never felt like i was stressed. Typically there are lots of crashes in this race but once again I finished the race without going down. Here is a pic of me on the wall. Oh well it's more of a pic of a cheerwine rider but you take what you can get.
I will have more news about this week's Nature Valley Stage Race. For now i will show you what i found when heading out for my ride yesterday. The guy in the pic is my neighbor (he's hot huh) who had to rescue me. James swears it was a friendly snake but I had to disagree. James is our local former stock car driver who loves to tell stories of moonshine. Ah you gotta love mountain living and I get to look at his big belly most every weekend from my porch!
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