I got to the park and registered with plenty of time for a good warm-up. There was not a level spot on the course. My mental message to myself about it was "Pop It and Drop It" meaning that the front half of the course would pop my HR and the back half I would need to concentrate on getting it to drop.
We rolled to the line and got started on time. There were seven women in our field and we were on course with the juniors. We got pre-race instructions and the whistle and were off. It was an uphill start and I struggle to get clicked in the pedals. Once I was in I caught up with the pack and we were off. The first two laps we stayed together as a field, with one little surge led by Kate. During the third lap, on the back side of the course, I decided to see who had the legs today and attacked. I peaked back and saw I brought three with me--Ashley, Kate, and Mary. We had shaken the other three off. Around a few more times and we got a prime bell for cash--the same amount as my entry fee. Boy would it be sweet to race for free! Around we went. We were in the sweeping turn at the end of the back side descent and Ashley started to go. I jumped on her wheel and we started the uphill to the line. About 200M before the line, I pulled along side of her and got out of the saddle. I pushed it and kept going. I got the prime and a gap. OMG! That rocked.
The next three laps or so I was out by myself. I was about 17 minutes in and was going past the start/finish and heard someone yell "Hang in there, Mary." They had caught me. I looked back at Kate and told her if they were on, they could work. I sat in with the group for a lap and a half and we got another prime bell. We were in the sweeping corner and Kate went. I jumped on her wheel. I didn't want to be greedy, but I also didn't want to "give" it away and lose good position. I pulled alongside of Kate as we started uphill and told I was gonna make her work for it. I kept encouraging her to sprint. As we got closer to the line, Ashley pulled on my right. She pulled even with me and kept going as we hit the line. Ashley and Kate were fighting it out with Ashley getting the prime. She and I kept going and put a bit a gap on the field. Around again and three to go was on the lap cards. She and I shared the work and were at the line with two to go. I heard someone yell for Mary again. She had bridged up to us. I sat up slightly and let her take the pull. She asked me how many laps were left and I told her. I got on her wheel and followed her around. At some point I looked back at Ashley and mouthed "let her work." The juniors almost took us all out on the backside because they couldn't find a line and hold it. Mary did some great evasive manuevers.
We got the bell lap and I continued to sit on Mary's wheel. I held on to her through the downhill. I noticed she was out of gears and was standing to accelerate and I was still holding on with gears and legs to spare. We hit the sweeping turn and I decided to make my move. I spun up my cadence, added gear and pulled around. I didn't know if Ashley jumped on or not, but I wasn't taking the chance to lose it at the line. At the bottom of the hill I was up and sprinting. Across the finish with a good deal of daylight between me and the other two! My first win and it was oh so sweet! I think I enjoyed it so much because I felt like I made it my race--I made things happen when I wanted them to happen.
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