Fitchburg Longsjo Classic

1:00 Am Sunday night: The car breaks down on the way back from Fitchburg.


Day 1: Individual Time Trial
Results
I the time trial went well for me. Although I didn't feel my best, I remained focused (Lately, I've been working on the mental side of my TT). I think it was to my advantage that the time trial was uphill (3% average grade). So as of now, I'm seventh in the GC.

Day 2: Circuit Race
Results
Today's race was one of the easier ones I've done up here (probably because I wasn't off the front the whole time). The course was 3.1 miles long with a steep climb on one side and a long downhill on the other. I was patient, and I made sure I positioned well. The race was going to come down to the last turn, the turn after the long downhill and before the climb leading up to the finish (no one could get away with a long downhill like that). I sat on the back and recovered on the downhill, hustled up to the font before the turn, and was usually in position for the climb. On the last lap, I gave it my all to be up there through the last turn, and it paid off. I got 4th.

Day 3: Road Race
Results
I made some big mistakes today like (1) not making the break when I could have and (2) using a 23 on the back. I was track standing up the climb. Still, I only lost one spot in the GC. Now I know I need to change my cassette for nationals.

Day 4: Criterium
Results
I rode so strong today I really shocked myself. I was off the front for more than half the race in various breaks. I got two primes and I was chasing girls down like crazy. Finally, my acceleration is back! Got caught behind a crash with 4 to go and had to chase back on for over a lap. Didn't have muscle or position for the sprint. Still 8th in the GC. Car broke down at 1:00 Am on the way back to Kutztown (see pic)

Final Results:
General Classification

Racing in New England - Top U23 Rider

In front of the State House: Providence, RI
Cox Charities Cycling Classic 2007

The Cox Cycling Classic criterium course was in downtown Providence and went right past the State House (above) - very impressive. The race was classified as a "womens' open" race which meant that women of all categories could sign up. So, the race was more sketchy than I was used to. Still, I knew who I had to watch and where I had to be. No one was getting away; It looked like it was going to come down to a field sprint. I won one of the preems early on, but decided to hold back on the later ones to save myself for the finish. I knew I had to watch Mackenzie Dickey (Colavita), and be on her wheel through the last turn. Unfortunately, the race slowed with a couple laps to go, and the group swarmed around me on both sides. With less than a lap to go, I fought back up to the front. I was up there, but I wasn't on Mackenzie's wheel. I ended up 5th, a podium spot, and the top U23 rider by far. I was happy with my result, but I think I could have done better. Next time, I won't sprint in such a tall gear when the sprint is uphill.

Right now, I'm staying with my Aunt and Uncle in a town near Boston, MA. That's the nice part about traveling all over the place for races. You get to see friends and family, meet new people, and see new places. You see the parts of the area that the normal tourists don't get to see. Today I'm racing in Exeter, NH. It's a $1500 crit with not many women signed up. Hopefully I'll make some money.

Typical Days

The Track
















Training Ride in the Valley















More Riding

Two $5,000 Circuit Races

This weekend, I drove to Washington D.C. with Dan, Rebecca, and Jason to do the Crystal City Classic and the RFK race, both $5,000 circuit races near downtown. We saw the Washington monument and the Lincoln memorial as we drove in, but that was all the touristing we got to do. Both courses were open and safe, but I have to say the atmosphere of Crystal City was far better than that of RFK. Crystal City was a real downtown race that went by all the shops and outdoor restaurants; this, in turn, drew lots of spectators. RFK, on the other hand was the epitome of a parking lot race (no trees, wide open), and the blazing hot temperatures didn't help a bit.

I talked with my coach before the race about my most current problem: getting swarmed on the last lap of these crits and finding myself out of contention before we even get to the last turn. He told me how I should move relative to the others, pull out to the side, avoid getting boxed in at all costs. I tried the strategy and it really helped. I got 12th at Crystal City and 8th at RFK and came out with a total of $295 dollars for the weekend. I really impressed myself. I was just finishing up a hard training block and I was still able to ride the front of both races, chase and follow Cheerwine and Aaron's, and still have something for the sprint.

Only once did I freely give up a wheel I wanted - it happened to be Laura Van Gilder's wheel with a couple laps to go. All of a sudden there was this shadow looming over me (tense, anticipating background music). It was Anna Lang, the women who I watched get second in UCI Kerin at the Trexlertown track only two days before. The woman who beat her was the current world champion. So there really wasn't much I could do about her and, to tell the truth, I didn't want to find out what would happen if I tried to fight her for it. The long and the short of it is: I was up there, got boxed in a little at the end, and took 12th. Kyle Wamsley (Navigators) won the mens' race. I see him out training around here almost every day.

Sunday I was more fatigued. I followed stuff at the beginning, but I was too tired to do anything by the last third of the race. Fortunately for me (never thought I'd say this), it came down to a sprint. I took the inside of the turn right behind Anna Lang and sprinted for 8th place. Results are here: http://www.hubracing.com/criterium/rfk2007/city_bikes_rfk_criterium_results_2007.htm After the race I talked with Anna and some of the other top girls, and I think they're beginning to recognize me. I never thought I'd benefit by being the only person on my team, but I really think that fact helps me stand out from the rest of the girls. Even I tend to group all of the Hub Racing girls and Kenda Tire girls together, and I think they do too.

So, this week is a rest week so I can rest up and get back in the swing of things before Fitchburg and Nationals. Tomorrow, my team mate Alane and I are going to go to Michael's in Reading to get some arts and crafts stuff to occupy our time. This past week we've survived off of the craft section at Walmart - I got some colored pencils and a drawing pad and she got the only cross stitch pattern they had, a big jesus head, halo and all. Meanwhile I'm almost done with Lolita and I'm hoping we can go see the movie Waitress or rent Pan's Labyrinth. I don't have any pictures from this weekend, but I'll try and find some online to post.

Reading Classic; Watching Philly; Local Race

Tour of Highbridge - leading up the hill















The Manayunk Wall















The Womens' Race (Still at the wall)

This past Thursday was the second race of the triple crown, the Commerce Bank Reading Classic. I actually got into this race (I didn't end up getting into Philly, as you can see from the pictures above) because the rules regarding team entry and such were fairly lenient. Sixty of us started and I think about 35 actually finished. I was in a break for a few laps, a first for my NRC racing career. On the last lap, however, I faded going up the last part of the hill. There was no way I could make my legs turn over any faster - they felt like lead, probably from the three hours tempo the day before (my coach insisted). Results from the race were posted on cyclingnews (DNF's omitted for the womens' race which makes me very sad because I look so next to the next to the last place). Here they are: http://www.cyclingnews.com/road/2007/jun07/commercebank07/?id=results/commercebank072

Today, Sunday, we left early for the Tour of Highbridge so we could stop by and watch some of the Philly race (pictures posted above). The way they have the men and women on the course at the same time and the publicity and position of the race right in downtown, make it a very spectator-friendly race. Yes, people were drunk at 9:30 am when the first riders went through. We got there at around 9:00 and had an adventure zooming up and down these narrow, car-lined streets in the Philly ghetto in order to find a parking space and watch the race before we were late for our own.

Ok, my race. Well, it was a pretty easy win for me. All of the hot shots were at Philly and I rode the race very well, if I do say so myself. Four times up a short, very steep climb, four times down a narrow, horribly-paved road (In the race flyer this was called a "real Europeanesque road"), and four times down a fairly safe decent by a river and back to the hill. I attacked the second time up, soloed for a bit, got caught, and sprinted for the win at the end. I came out $105 dollars richer with a new pair of training tires (the preem). I don't think the results for this race will be posted online, so you'll have to take my word for it. It was a good day, although I do regret not being able to do Philly. My boyfriend's team won the pro,1,2 race, so we were all pretty happy. We're celebrating by going to the local theme part, Hershey Park, tomorrow. At least together we won't look so odd while wearing our swim suits and sporting the ridiculous tan lines.

Living in Kutztown - Racing in Trexlertown

The back side of the apartment















The new track bike

Let me just say that the cycling scene up here is nothing like I could have imagined. No more silly, flat, same ol' same ol' Florida racing. Instead I'm racing three or four days a week, today in Delaware, tomorrow in Maryland, Tuesdays at the Trexlertown track...it's so much racing that I hardly get nervous anymore (the exception will be Philly if I get to do it this weekend). With school being out and a job out of the question, cycling is my entire life and god, it's awesome (ride at nine, sleep, eat, watch South Park all day). Somehow the plastic dishware, folding chair furniture and air mattress, and lack of AC make the experience complete.

We're living in a little apartment above "Salon Joey" off main street, Kutztown, PA. It's a small little town surrounded by corn fields and picturesque views from the tops of hills that you have to tear your eyes away from in order to avoid crashing. I'll post pictures later. Trexlertown is about a forty-five minute ride away from the apartment. The ride to the track is one of the flatter rides to do around here.

Riding up Hawk mountain last week, we saw some Webcore girls. If I stick my head out of the window of the apartment, I can look down the street and see the house that the Colavita guys are staying in. Sitting in our living room, surfing the internet, I watch the Toyota United guys, and some of the local track stars ride past all decked out in team clothing or national championship jerseys. I'm telling you - it's a completely different scene.

I have yet to witness the Friday night track races which I hear are amazing - fans screaming, drunk people, famous big shot racers, and the hectic UCI Madison. I'd say that the spectator-friendly track racing helps make cycling a real sport up here. For now, however, I'm still a cat 3 on the track which means I can only do the Tuesday night races. Tonight we did a Miss-and-Out, Devil's scratch race, and another that I can't remember - they're beginning to run together already. I'm proud to say that I'm past the point of having to constantly say to myself "just keep pedaling." I rode the Trek T1 that I just arrived for me today. Great bike, awesome sparkly paint job.

Since I've been up here I've made $110, a race T-shirt, a nalgine bottle, and a pair of sneakers. Not bad for only a couple races. This past Sunday I did the 16th annual Wilmington Classic, a local race in Delaware. Two laps in, I found myself off the front after a slight acceleration. "Who's this girl we've never heard of? We can let her go." So there I was, off the front and I had to go. I ended up winning by staying off the front for the whole flipping race. I need to working on winning races other than the hardest way possible. Once you're gone you're gone in these little races. The women never chase. If you want to see the results, here they are: http://www.teamdrt.org/Race-results/2007WilmClassicResults.htm

The recent big news is that there's a possibility I might be able to do Philly this weekend. One of the girls from a New Zealand team called Jazz Apple is injured and is considering not starting. They might let me start in her spot. It's a slim chance, very last minute, but just the idea is pretty cool in itself.