crit, track, crit...repeat

Now that I'm finally starting to do better in bike races, I'm too tired and busy to blog about them. So now that I'd actually have something to say besides "I got dropped...again"...I'm too tired to say anything at all. This blanket statement pretty much covers it though: It turns out races are much easier when you get dropped...staying with the field makes the race much harder, but much more fun. Okay, that's lame, maybe I have time for a quick update:

July 4th was the Northfield crit - the race was relatively uneventful and it came down to a big field sprint. I thought I was in a good position going into the last turn, but turns out I wasn't...and I ended up 6th...just barely...I saw that yellow jersey cruisin' up along side of me...one more foot and she would have had me.

July 6th was track racing - can't seem to get the lead out of my legs at the track. My team did well (especially Special K who lapped the field in the points race!), but I felt like crap. It doesn't make sense...Skibby had a good night so I should have too...something's wrong. The highlight of my night was when I put my real clothes on after racing and discovered twenty forgotten dollars in my pocket...I would have been have happy with $5 or $10, but I was elated to find $20. It still makes me smile.


July 9th was the Hopkins Crit - this race was harder/faster than Northfield, and even had a little drama - a crash, some broken gear, a little bit of chick trash talkin' (i.e. "would you mind pulling for a bit?"), and a fight for the last MWCMR points. I was able to stay with the main field, but just barely...I had nothing left for the sprint, and rolled in 7th which pretty much sums up my MWCMR race series since I placed 7th overall.

(Hopkins photos courtesy of www.skinnyski.com).

But what's that growth on my thigh?














On a related note, I must have completely lost my mind because I agreed to go to Superweek for 4 straight days of racing with Special K and Penelope next week...and GW SB just informed me the crits there are 1.5 - 1.75 hrs long (mom, the races here are only 0.5 hrs long).

Special thanks to Marnie for coming to watch both the Northfield and Hopkins Crit...that's a true friend who travels to watch women's Cat 4 bike races! And thanks to all of my friends who came to watch the Hopkins Crit and yell split times to Pete since my voice carries about one foot.

And if my dad is reading this...you better be pampering mom! (she broke her wrist in two spots when we were out waterskiing/boating on 4th of July weekend). I keep telling her that she's too old to be wake-boarding when the lake's so choppy from all the boating traffic, but she just won't listen.

SS