Velovera

Ice Bath

I took that awful ice bath when I got home from the spankeroo in Hugo and then stretched. I think it may have worked. I had a little vindication at the Curtis Park crit on Sunday. I covered up the sunburn with my skinny suit, got to the start line to see a sea of Vitamin Cottage orange, 2 Lipton ladies, a handful of Excel sports, some Rio Grande ladies and then a smattering of others. I could see what was going to happen before it did... a lucky and strong cat 3 would make the break with a couple of Vitals, Excel and a Lipton. This happened on the second lap. The crit started so fast that after a half a lap my teeth were stuck to my lips and I was wondering how I would ever get comfy enough for a drink of water. The pace was so fast and the 6 turns came every few seconds.

Well, I did what I wanted to do, I hung onto the chase. The chase was so crazy!! We were spitting people out left and right and yet, the break managed to lap us. For the last 4 or so laps we were all together. Then it was 5 laps to go and I realized I was going to finish this 30 mile an hour craziness!

The sprint came after some squabbling for placing that I chose to semi-stay out of. We went for the sprint and I actually had it a bit in me... and sprinted past 2 others for 12th overall, 3rd Cat 3. This was serious vindication for Saturday. I found out I was the last Cat 3 on Saturday and was seriously bummed and wondering if I should just give up. Being back in a crit (first in 6 weeks) just made me realize how much I really love being in the middle of a crit!

Looking forward to Burlingame this coming weekend. Back in my homeland and where I know other racers! I noted that I always get to races about 2 hours before the race so I don't run out of time for the workout. When you don't know anyone, that 2 hours is about an hour too long! Both at the RR and at the crit, I sat in the shade looking at my watch waiting for the time to come to get ready and warm up!

Speaking of warming up... the crit was at 3PM and it was 98 degrees. My throat still hurts from the dry heat and trying to get a breath in that race!

PS Good luck to Virgil at Nature Valley and Good luck to MLE at Elk Horn!!!

posted by Velovera @ 10:41 PM