MEA at the feed zone starting lap 37/26/08
Cat: Women 55+
Field: 6
Place: 4th
Mates: Phyllis Olrich and Linda Elgart
Cat: Women 55+
Field: 6
Place: 4th
Mates: Phyllis Olrich and Linda Elgart
First, congratulations to all my fellow Webcor Alto Velo team mates for the awesome wins at the district RR and crit. Now let me share my personal recipe for disaster: Take one part smoke, mix thoroughly with altitude, simmer for hours at 90 degrees, add ferocious headwinds, and top it off with two neuromas until you can’t stand the pain. A race to remember for all the wrong reasons . . . . (Warning: You may not want to read further.)
The district championship road race was held in Markleeville, California in a valley south of South Lake Tahoe. Rich and I drove out Friday evening, spent the night in Folsom and then drove the rest of the way Sat. morning arriving at around 8:45 only to learn that the start of the race would be delayed. Apparently, the CHP thought the race was the next day. So our combined group (Women 45-49, 50-54, and 55+) took off shortly after noon instead of 11:05. In the mean time, it was getting quite hot. The good news is that the W 55+ were wise enough to negotiate three laps instead of four. Phyllis and I discussed strategy to head off contender Laura Lindgren but “Plan A” fell apart on the first climb. Phyllis stuck on Laura’s wheel and all I could do was watch them pull away. I pacelined with a group that included 55+ Narda through the climbs on lap 2. That’s when the feet started to go bad. I was tempted to quit after the second lap, but I remembered the words of Johann Bruyneel in his latest book (We Might As Well Win) that as long as you are still on your bike, you have a chance. So I grabbed a fresh water bottle at the feed zone (thanks!) and kept pedaling as best I could. The headwind after the second climb made the rest of the race torture on my feet. I couldn’t put any pressure on the ball of my feet, so I just spun in a low gear to the finish. I immediately laid my bike down, ripped off my shoes and socks and poured water on my feet (with some sobs of disappointment/delirium). A pitiful sight to behold. I can’t believe that I finished ahead of the two other 55+ women. Both Rich and I suffered through the next day with irritated bronchi from the smoke – some folks must have lungs of steel!! It was great to be back cycling Sunday on the Peninsula with the fogbank as a back drop.
The district championship road race was held in Markleeville, California in a valley south of South Lake Tahoe. Rich and I drove out Friday evening, spent the night in Folsom and then drove the rest of the way Sat. morning arriving at around 8:45 only to learn that the start of the race would be delayed. Apparently, the CHP thought the race was the next day. So our combined group (Women 45-49, 50-54, and 55+) took off shortly after noon instead of 11:05. In the mean time, it was getting quite hot. The good news is that the W 55+ were wise enough to negotiate three laps instead of four. Phyllis and I discussed strategy to head off contender Laura Lindgren but “Plan A” fell apart on the first climb. Phyllis stuck on Laura’s wheel and all I could do was watch them pull away. I pacelined with a group that included 55+ Narda through the climbs on lap 2. That’s when the feet started to go bad. I was tempted to quit after the second lap, but I remembered the words of Johann Bruyneel in his latest book (We Might As Well Win) that as long as you are still on your bike, you have a chance. So I grabbed a fresh water bottle at the feed zone (thanks!) and kept pedaling as best I could. The headwind after the second climb made the rest of the race torture on my feet. I couldn’t put any pressure on the ball of my feet, so I just spun in a low gear to the finish. I immediately laid my bike down, ripped off my shoes and socks and poured water on my feet (with some sobs of disappointment/delirium). A pitiful sight to behold. I can’t believe that I finished ahead of the two other 55+ women. Both Rich and I suffered through the next day with irritated bronchi from the smoke – some folks must have lungs of steel!! It was great to be back cycling Sunday on the Peninsula with the fogbank as a back drop.
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