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.