TN State TT, MOAB Crit Race Report

Saturday was our annual state time trial race (40K) in Lascassas, and Sunday was a crit in Murfreesboro. So we had two races close to home, and I wasn't gone all day either day, which meant that even though I was pretty exhausted, I still got a lot done. Here are some pictures:

Anna and me before the TT. We started 30 seconds apart so we were lined up together. Before we started, we prayed for safety and strength. God answered (as He always does).

Pretty close to my start time. Lisa S let me borrow her bike, and it was super fast! I was so thankful to have a TT bike. Last year I rode my Trek and had TT bars on it. That was better than no TT bars, but it couldn't compare to this TT bike. It was so smooth and fast and nice! I had done the exact same course last year in 1:11:03, and I figured the bike would give me 3 minutes--that made my goal 1:08 (to not be worse than last year) for sure, and anything faster would be positive and unexpected. Friday I rode easy and pretty much visualized the TT--thinking of any possible scenario I could and figuring out how to positively make it through everything. Like what I would do if someone passed me or if I passed someone, what I would do if I started to feel tired, etc. Even though it meant an easy ride so I could think, it was so great because come Saturday in the race, I was ready for anything.

I got to the 20K/turnaround in 33:03 and knew I'd have a slight tailwind coming back in, so I already knew I'd beat my time and was thrilled. I also never gave up. Amy passed me first, and I made her work to pass me by pacing legally behind her up the hill we were on and then staying with her for a couple miles. Anna passed me a little after (and at the same time as Kirsten, who I'd actually forgotten about as the race continued because I was focusing on Anna), and Anna and I played cat-and-mouse for the next 10 miles. I would stay behind her using her as my pacer, but then I would start making up ground on her and would pass her. Then she would pass me again, and I would pass her back eventually. I almost got to the point in my mind where I was ready to let her go, but then Katie passed me and I knew I had to work hard again. So I stayed legally behind Katie and passed her again a mile or so later. She passed me again, but I knew she was working hard and I loved that. I wasn't far from her at the end, and I ended up beating Anna to the finish only because she flatted with 5 miles to go.

2011 Stats: 1:11:03, 24.82 mi, 21 mph (35.2 max), 179 bpm (189 max); 20/27 women
2012 Stats: 1:05:35, 24.85 mi, 22.8 mph (38.1 max), 170 bpm (192 max); 5/8 Cat 3; 10/21 women

Catherine was 2nd in the TT for the Cat 4 women

Parri was 3rd in the TT for the Cat 1/2 women

My legs were pretty tired after this hard effort, but I had a project to work on:

Shelly let me borrow her steam cleaner, so I cleaned all my carpets in my apt. It took me a couple hours (I can only imagine how long an entire house would take!), but my carpets and apartment are so clean now and I love it! Here is a sneak preview of Monday's project that I worked on tonight:

Sunday I spent in Murfreesboro at the MOAB crit. We had done this race last year as well, the day after the TT, and for some reason it seems to not be a good race for us as a team. Maybe we are all just so exhausted from the TT and under pressure to race well in our hometown area or something, but last year didn't end well and neither did this year. Last year's results were better (1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 5th) but we weren't happy after the race, and this year's results didn't really compare (5th and 6th) and we still weren't happy after the race.

We pretty much controlled the entire race (at least it felt like it). Parri, Anna, and I were the three from Team B racing, and we were against Jes and Katie (SVMIC), Amanda (Treehouse), and Marda and Pam (Marx & Bendsdorff). We attacked pretty relentlessly. I was off the front a few times, Anna was off the front for a few laps, Parri had some great attacks, and all that together meant that the other teams had to scramble and work hard to chase us down. I wanted to win, and if I couldn't, I wanted Parri to win. So with just over 1 lap to go, I attacked and created a pretty big gap between me and everyone else. I couldn't turn around, I just knew I couldn't hear anyone, I just went hard. I really wanted to stay away, but AJ and Pam caught me with part of a hill and one corner to go. At that point, my only hope at a team win was for Parri to be with them, but she wasn't right up there with them to get around that last corner first, so we ended up finishing 5th and 6th (Anna wasn't too far behind either).

It was not at all what I'd hoped for, and I was disappointed after the race. I felt like I raced very well, smart, and strong, and all we got were 5th and 6th. I am hoping that Wednesday night goes better for our team!

Stats: 41:13, 14.68 miles, 21.4 mph (28.8 max), 171 bpm (194 max)