Nationals 2007

Podium: U23 Criterium

I have to say that nationals did not go as well as I expected, but then again I wasn't really sure what to expect. This was my first year racing U23, and I knew it would be a big step up - just how big I didn't know.

I managed to pull out a respectable finish in the time trial despite boyfriend and equipment troubles the morning of the race. I was feeling horrible in the criterium - gapping myself off when the field accelerated, but I was able to hold my position around the critical final turn and sprint for third (see pic above).

The road race was - what can I say - a learning experience. They combined the U23's and the elite women and, with almost 5,000 feet of climbing, it was going to be a really hard race. I made it up the five-mile climb on the back stretch, but a hard acceleration up the next hill was enough for me. I looked around and somehow I'd managed to drop back to last wheel. Well, that was that. I was NOT going to ride another 35 miles on that course by myself, no matter how much Kacye (sorry, Kacye) tried to persuade me.

Throughout the weekend, I saw many of my friends from Florida. The Brannigans and the Gerbers were there as well as Will Willis and his dad. Ashlyn Gerber won the 13-14 criterium, and Michelle Blake took 3rd in the 10-12 criterium and time trial, so a hearty congratulations to them both.

So, now I'm back in Kutztown lazing around as usual. It's a wonder I can even write this since most of the town doesn't have power right now. I got home from nationals yesterday afternoon and was so tired that I went to bed at around 9:30.

At 10:15 it began to storm and the unusually loud rain (which turned out to be hail) woke me up. The wind was blowing like mad and an unusually large quantity of water was coming in through the window. There were voices in the hall so I closed the window, got dressed, and went downstairs. That's when we lost power. I went in search of my cell phone (flashlight) while lightning was striking everywhere around the house - then all of a sudden a huge CRACK. I bumped into Rebecca in the hall - she was saying something about the tree in the back yard. The dog was going berserk, and I began to get scared. It was exactly like the hurricanes, but without the two days notice.

We went downstairs and I began to wonder if we were going to have to use the basement - thank god for basements. Then we heard a horrible screaming - the cat was still outside. I'd never heard a cat make such a racket as that and it didn't help to calm me down. I also don't think I've ever seen Rebecca move so fast off the bike. She ran to open the door and the cat dashed inside. It was still hailing really hard. But then, almost as soon as it started, it was over. The whole thing lasted maybe fifteen minutes. We went outside and could see the flashlights of other people and a huge tree in the road a few houses down from us. The sirens started a minute later. It sure looked like there had been a tornado, but it could have just been all the lightning and wind. We stayed outside for awhile, but I soon went back to bed. I swear, that storm was probably the most exciting thing that's ever happened in this town.

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