Race Report: PICX#3

The race this week was in the same park as last Saturday.  The weather was perfect, mid 60s, sunny, light wind.  The first half of the course was new, with a lot of long straight aways and wide turns.  The second half was the same as last week, just going backwards.  There were seven of us in the women’s open race.  I will say that I really had to talk to myself not to “lose the race” before it even began.  The whistle blew and we went off.  We were down and back for the first set of long straights and over the barriers when I realized I was still with the group.  I went back and forth with Sally for the sixth spot.  We made a right turn to a little roller coaster hill and made a 180 and I saw Gina R. in the rope on the side.  We continued past her and I traded spots with Sally another time or two.  In the first half of the course there was a tight right, downhill under a tree.  I struggled to find a line there.  Too tight and you had branches in your face, too wide and you lost ground.  In the first lap, Sally overtook me at that point.  I caught her again as we moved into the second half of the course.  There was enough of a hill and straight section that I could put a gap on her.  The other two challenging places in the course for me where on the second half.  There was a sweeping off camber right that I was tentative on, thinking I would slide out.  You could gain some speed from there before another right by the lake (I hate that lake).  There was a tree root and dirt right there and I never found a line I was comfortable with.  Right after, you continued to the right to a steep little hill before turning left, hitting the path and the s/f straight. 

After I passed Sally, Gina C. was pretty close.  I made my move on her in the long straights in lap two.  I went after Cat next.  She and I traded positions throughout the second and part of the third lap.  She was able to pass me once going around the tree, but I again made my move on the climb.  After that I tried to get to Chris and Teresa, closing the gap to as little as nine seconds at one point.  I’d gain ground where I could use power, but they’d make it up in some of the tighter areas.  By lap six I was toast, struggling mentally and physically.  The barrier was a chore, and near the end I knew the leaders of the men’s race were closing in on me. That had already gotten the bell and were finishing.  It I let up, they’d pass me and I could still get third and not have to do the last lap.  It sounded really good for about 10 seconds.  Then I got my head on straight and decided that if I want to continue to race up near the front I need to continue to work hard, all the way through.  My last lap was much better than the previous one as a result. My other highlight for the race, besides getting 3rd was passing Louis.  He smokes me every week at the time trials, I can only aspire to getting that quick.  Small victory!

I had to rock my Illini knee socks 'cause it was homecoming weekend!  Illini 5-0 and I nab a podium.  Beautiful start to October.  Photo credit: Mike Dawson.

Up the steep little hill by my nemesis, the lake. Photo credit: Mike Dawson

Race Report: PICX#2

When I pulled into the park on Saturday, I wasn't excited about the race.  I had raced at this venue last year and it was obnoxiously hard.  I got my bike down and got my helmet on and pre-rode about half the course before the first race of the day began.  It didn't seem like it was as difficult as last year.  The course started flat for about 100M.  From there it turned around a tree and went downhill before turning and going right back up.  That hill was a tough climb, long with a good grade.  At the top, it jumped on the side walk and headed towards the lake.  We swept left, off camber by the lake before turning to the hillside again.  We followed the hillside with a sweeping right and uphill.  You could get enough momentum on the downhill sweep for that little climb before doing a 180 and going down again.  From there it was  sweeping right and and uphill ending in an off camber left.  Back down again and a turn to the right before a little two 180s leading towards the tennis course.  Next was a hard left downhill, a short uphill left sweeper, and a 180 leading to the TALL barriers.  After the barriers, it was downhill and back up to a left turn.  A series of three 180s with a short downhill followed up a little steep uphill.  It then turned left and had a gentle downhill before a gentle uphill and a sweep left to the start finish.  All in all, a lot of climbing.

I warmed  up in the adjacent fields, doing some hills and hard efforts.  It was about 75 and sunny.  We had nine ladies in our race.  I got a full lap in on the course immediately prior to our race.  The whistle went and Liz took off.  I was sitting sixth and Alison passed me right after the lake.  I worked at staying with her and passed her in the second lap.  I kept pushing to secure a gap on her and I realized that Cat was in my sites.  In lap three, I passed her on the long climb.  She came around me again after the lake.  I stayed with her and got her on the start/finish.  Again, I worked to secure a larger gap.  I could see Britta and Gina within distance of me and so I concentrated on catching them.  The next two laps I could tell their lead was decreasing.  I crossed the line and saw three to go and realized the leaders in the men's race were getting ready to lap me.  The passed me after the big climb and I jumped on the second guys wheel.  I went aggressively around the turn at the lake and slid right onto Gina's wheel as they went around.  I rode Gina's wheel until the next set of 180s.  We were getting passed by the guy sitting in third in the mens' race, a teammate of mine.  Travis told us he was coming and where he wanted to pass.  Britta thought he was me and wouldn't let him around.  It slowed down our pace.  I tried to take a gear off because we lost momentum.  My drive train must have been under too much stress because it shifted hard and felt like the chain was going to drop.  It was enough that I bobbled the bars and cut my knee on the cables on the top tube.  I kept it upright, but lost the wheel.  I rode hard the rest of that lap and the final one, but could never get back on.  I finished fifth.

Pushing up the hill. I hate climbing out of the saddle, but this one required it.  Photo credit: Mike Dawson

Smiling & cheesing my way through it! Photo credit: Mike Dawson

I felt like I did well pushing myself today.  My handling on the corners was also pretty good.  I struggled a bit at the barriers . . . the ones in this series are taller than any other races.  I never feel like I can jump them, it's more like stepping over them.  And turns by lakes at cx races still freak me out.

PICX #2: 09/25/2010

The 2010 Edition of PICX #2 returned to the same venue as 2009, Glazebrook Park. The course is on a soccer field, so there is little level variation--it's flat. Instead of having the challenge of hills and trees, the designers must want you to puke by making it maze-like. Multiple times during the race, I swore I was going to run into someone, only to find they were in the next lane of the course.

Instead of warming up on course or in an adjacent area, I warmed up on the trainer Saturday. The kids had come with us and Sam was racing, so it was my only option. It got my legs warm enough, but I probably should have pushed my heart rate a little higher.

We had seven (four Big Shark) women line up: Amy, Teresa, Stephanie, Sunny, Liz, and Cory. Amazingly, while we were lining up, it was announced that the previous races' results were posted. Yeah for great officiating! Aaro gave us instructions and we were off, hot and fast. I held with the group until the first barrier. I was even fine going over that first barrier. It was the remounting that gapped me. Cory passed me on her remount and there I was, last on the course. Curses!!!

I continue to struggle with getting back on the bike.

It is what it is and I was out there for a great workout so I went after it like that. I stayed focused and concentrated on cornering. After all, that's what this course was all about. Somewhere in the second lap, I was able to catch Cory. She would make up some ground on me during the corners, but in the few straights, I was able to regain it. Sunny schooled us all. That woman is incredibly quick and I can't wait to watch she and Carrie square off. Stephanie took second, Teresa third, Liz fourth, Amy fifth, sixth for me and Cory seventh.

I had a disheartening few minutes during this race. Because the course is flat and on a soccer field, you could see everyone at all times. During my last lap, somewhere in the dizzying maze, I looked up and saw Amy hitting the pavement to head to the finish. I looked around and it was only Cory and me left on the course. I didn't like that feeling. I didn't like everyone else seeing how poorly I was finishing. The competitive part of me had real difficulties in swallowing that. It makes me more and more determined to be well-trained and ready for the '11 road season. I will be racing Women's Open, a much stronger field. I want to perform well and hang. My off-season training needs to be on target for this and will be. I won't let it happen again.