Race Report: Edwardsville Rotary Criterium

I couldn't have asked for a more beautiful night to race than Saturday.  It was sunny, low 80s and one of my favorite courses.  It's a figure 8 course with some tight turns and narrow streets on the backside.  They also offer a sweet purse so it attracts a ton of people.  Plus the town did a great job of promoting the race with a course side pub crawl, so the streets were packed with spectators.  The icing on the cake was this is the first race all season my kids have been there. ;-)

I warmed up on one of the local bike trails.  I did a few hard efforts to get my heart rate up and rolled back up to the course.  They were a bit behind because of a nasty crash that had happened a few races before, but they were making up time during the kids races.  I got to do two laps on the course and get good luck kisses before rolling to the line.  We had 23 ladies in our field -- some very strong and a few very new Cat 4s.  The whistle blew and we were off.  The first lap was calm, everyone feeling each other out.  We rolled through start/finish to the sound of a prime bell.  My legs felt good, so I was considering going for it.  I was in a decent position up front after turn six, but Britta just took off.  She got a great jump on the field and while a few ladies gave chase, there was no catching her.  We came back together and went around again for another prime.  I'm not sure who took that one, but it was not a gimme.  Around lap six or so I had another rider come into me right before turn three.  My back wheel slid a bit and I was definitely uneasy for a few laps.  I felt myself migrating to the back and then having to fight to catch back on after turn five.  I had a good minute of self-talk/lecturing about trusting my handling equipment and knowing that I needed to be sitting no further than fifth wheel.  I moved back up and got myself refocused.  I looked at the lap cards and outwardly groaned when I saw we still had 25 laps to go.  This race was going to wear me out!  We got two more primes around laps 10 and 12.  By this time there were ladies contesting them hot and heavy.  Jamie launched a nice attack after Emilie won one of them.  Carrie led the chase and I went up and took over for her to jump on Jamie's wheel.  We settled back in and the laps counted down.  Another prime with 12 laps to go, and I knew I didn't have the legs to fight for it.  My goal was to race smart and to be there for the finish.  The race was filled with attacks and speed, but nothing was able to stick.  I got to hear "go Mommy" every time I hit the backside of the course.    

We got the bell lap and the real race was on.  There was lots of posturing as we entered the chicane.  I got aggressive and went for the wheel of the lady sitting third, much to the chagrin of another racer who was going after the same wheel.  She yelled me a bit and holding a line.  I just yelled back sorry and she kept ranting.  We came around turn five and I saw Jamie signal Emilie -- she was giving her a lead out.  Try as I might to jump on Emilie's wheel to take advantage of the free ride, I couldn't do it.  Britta jumped after turn six again and it was one.  Carrie and Emilie chased, with Ashley and Trisha getting up there as well.  I managed to stay up front with them and sprint against Jamie to take 6th at the line.  Carrie won -- fitting as it was her birthday.

In line with some strong ladies.  *Photo credit: Dennis Fickinger

Where's my smile??? I look mad and mean. *Photo credit: Dennis Fickinger

A piece I realized during this race is that often I am unaware of what is going on behind me in a larger field.  I didn't realize we had dropped some ladies until we started to lap them.  I work hard to be positioned at the front so I don't fall victim to crashes, etc happening in front of me, but often I don't know who is left.  That bothers me somewhat, but when I mentioned it to Coach his comment was the race is front of you unless you're on a flyer or lapping the field.  Point taken!

Race Report: Edwardsville Rotary Criterium

Pre-race, deep in thought.  *Photo credit:  Mike Dawson

I wish I could pinpoint where exactly I went wrong in my race prep.  I know I didn't get my usual fluids on Friday, but I made sure on Saturday to take in plenty.  Yesterday was hot and incredibly humid.  It was in the mid 90s around race time.  We had a great field, 18 women.  It's one of the fastest, strongest groups with whom I've raced.  The course was nearly flat, seven turns--a figure 8 of sorts, and narrowed in the back side.  I got a good warm up in and had plenty of fluid on my bike.  We got our instructions and took off.  I tried to stay mid-pack.  On lap two, right after the first turn, it sounded like a gun went off--Teresa blew a tire.  She headed to the pit and we went on racing.  The attacks were tough--Catherine Walberg, Jamie, and Soli threw up some great moves.  The ladies were smart, trying to get away on the back side where the course narrowed and the pack had to slow down to navigate the turns.  I felt good for the first 5-6 laps. 

Still with the group, turn one.  *Photo credit:  Mike Dawson

It with 10 to go when I knew I was in trouble.  I was fading to the back and struggling to hold a wheel.  With 9 to go, I fell off the first time.  I was able to catch back on and stay with the group for the next attack that Catherine launched.  It when Jamie launched a counter attack that I couldn't sustain.  I fell off the back.  I stayed with 10-20 seconds of the group, but couldn't get back to them.  Cory tossed water on to try to help me out.  Then, with five to go for some reason, the officials pulled me.  I hate getting pulled.  I understand why they pulled the riders behind me, they were all a lap down, but still don't understand (and have been questioning Klucker because he was officiating) why I was pulled.  If I'd had enough sense I would have tried to wave him off and keep racing--the worse that could have happened was they would not have scored me the next five laps.  I wasn't quite with it at that time though. 

I'm guessing when I pulled off I looked pretty rough because I was quickly surrounded with people trying to cool me down.  Steph grabbed some guy's water and poured it over me.  Eduardo shoved a bag of ice down my jersey.  Someone else took my helmet off.  That, and other bodily indicators lead me to believe I may have been dehydrated.  I can't tell you if I stopped sweating or not because I was dumping water over my head to cool down.  I'm really disappointed in my performance because I know I race better than I did yesterday.  I finished 14th and should have been in the top 10.  I don't mean for that to sound conceited or that I'm some unbelievable racers, I just know what I'm capable of doing.  My hope is that I'm able to feed on this next Saturday when I go to the line at the state time trial.  In looking over the field, there will be some good competition for that jersey.