Valley City Street Fair Road Race

Working on it.....

I got 2 free waterbottle's before the race even started so i figgured I was already a winner so i decided to do the womens 1-2-3 race insted of the 4's. Well nothing speical really happend during the race and it just came down to a sprint up the hill to the finish, (I was there to give sheri a lead out up to the last 200m)So i led up the hill and i was killing it to the 200m sign thinking sheri was on my wheel but when she did not come around me and there was like 150m to go I had to punch it cuz the other 2 girls were closeing in...haha i wish I could have just punched it but i was toast so you no how it go's they pick me off in the last like 20 feet. Well 3rd don't look so bad (on paper)...I just wont tell you how big the field was. Well today was cool i saved Alan and Kathy from the killer Bee in the car...with my bare hands but its the least i could do they were so great I mean they gave me a ride, cheered for me, and we even stoped at BK!

This was a very uneventful 2-3 race, with such a small field. We were friendly, holding a fast pace, and everyone taking a turn in the rotation. I knew the attack would happen on the third (last) lap on one of the two hills (2 hills on the back stretch, one on the finish). I was leading up the first hill, ready to work hard if the attack happened, but nada. I got to the top, then rotated to the back. I was at the back through the turns into town, and realized I needed to move up, and started to, but it was too late. By the time we rounded the last corner before the hill, Sam of Stark Velo had about 10 feet on the next two riders, and I was 10 feet behind them.

Sure enough Sam attacks on the hill. Crap. I am just closing in on Brooke and Tiffany (Suma) when Brooke, of all people, launches this beautiful, and I mean beautiful, counter attack. You guys really missed a good one to see. I was in amazement, and cussing at the same time, because Sam and Tiffany responded, and though I told myself to go, I could get only a tiny bit more out of the legs. They rode away from me to the top, and once they hit the flat, they got even more distance on me. Poor Brooke was leadiing them out. Shoot. By the time she realized I wasn't with them, it was too late for her to slow down the pace and not waste all her finishing sprint, and they came around her.

I'm not sure what happened on the hill--I was feeling great all race, the heart rate was hoving around my LT, no signs of asthma at all, and no asthma even as we climbed the hill hard. The legs just wouldn't respond. Post ride, they still felt pretty good, like I had a whole 'nother lap I coulda done. Guess I need more hill workouts.

Props to Brooke for her finishing aggression and Wendy for finishing the race despite that horrible asthma attack she had. Yikes, now I know what I was sounding like--but I never almost passed out, which Wendy was close to doing. Props also to Dave T & Alan M for racing in the 4s, and Todd for a fantastic sprint. I'm glad I had moved to the finish line to cheer, and could see him power away from the competition. Finally, Snakebite, great race--you have so many folks come out, and having a pace car is just too cool. Cat 3 women, c'mon out to this race!

The course changed a little bit from last year. The hard left then up the hill was a little bit more difficult then the hill through the neighborhood. It was a cloudy, damp day. Our race had some nice mist going at the start, but it was still a good race. We worked well together and had a good finish. I just need to get the asthma under control. The allergist's phone number is coming of the fridge and going to work with me, I promise.

Felt good all day, even attacked a few times. I was trying to let Torrelli, Honey Stinger, and West Virginia Health fight it out among themselves. However my plan failed because I was sliding back through after we brought back an attack, when the counter attack went and I decided to let them close it. By the time they got organized it was too late for me. In a group of 5 we couldn't close the gap and after chasing about 3/4 of a lap, then rain hit and the group broke apart as myself and another guy moved off the front only to ride alone the last lap.

Bonehead move of the day: Changing to a 9sp cassette by mistake when i changed wheels. I forgot I had the race wheels set for my TT bike from the week before and hadn't changed them back to 10sp. Rode the whole race with 9sp not realizing what I had done until I got home. No wonder shifting wasn't quite right.

My first race as a 4 and it went better than I expected. Thanks Dave for coming to the race and not letting me wimp out! I was uneasy at the start of the race and just wanted to finish in the main filed, which I did. I probably could have done better if I had been a little more aggressive at the end. I had a great spot up near the front in about tenth but let a few people by near the end because I wasn't sure what to expect on the last climb and was trying to hold back a bit so I wouldn't blow up. That turned out to be a bad move as the top 5 guys strung things out in the last four turns and had a realy advantage as they flew through those corners and carried a ton of speed into the hill.

I was a bit tentative throughout most of the race since I wasn't sure what to expect but worked hard to stay up near the front in the top 10 spots or so. It was definitely a lot different race than what I have been doing. Dave attempted to go in a couple of breaks and I worked up front to block for him but everytime he went it seemed like nobody was willing to work in his grop and everything just came back together. Everyone rode a really good race, the course was a blast, the roads were smooth and fast, and the support was good.