ok- just real quickly since i have to get back to writing... today is my day off, hence, THESIS DAY! anyhoo...
so this weekend, we had a time trial and a crit. 30K TT with a 400ft. climb on the way out and another 300ft climb (or so) on the way back. i am training for redlands- it is a BIG race for me... one that i am really gunning for. and VERY excited for. that means that i was training through this weekend. so, i have been going hard for the last couple weeks- knowing that when i back off for a couple days, i come back VERY strong. dead legs feel alive... so, that is the plan. train hard and back off for the races that REALLY matter. this was a great race weekend, but not one of the ones that we, as a team, are particularly focused on. so, we race hard, do our best, but we keep on training for the big fish that is the next weekend.
so, the TT- time trials for me are hard. i have to confess- for all my joking, i really do like them. i really appreciate the art and beauty of the solo race against the clock. it is something that i am learning, but it is not my natural strongsuit. i get VERY nervous before them still and am still figuring out how to keep my focus and moderate my efforts. 30K is long. for a sprinter with a dash of A*D*D... it is hard to stay focused for more than a few minutes (LOOK! COWS!)... anyway, so trying to keep my mind on my effort and go hard and steady... that is a challenge.
well- last time, i did a great job (for me) and was focused about 80% of the time and finished 25th. i could not have possibly put in more effort. it was hellish. this time though? i just didn’t have it. my legs were thrashed and i could NOT get them to go any harder. with my legs not pushing, my mind was wandering too. i tried to salvage as much of the race as possible by challenging myself to focus for short stretches, to push harder for a few miles... but really... my legs were just dead and not-responding and i could not do it. before i was even to the half-way mark of the race, i thought that i could not finish. i didn’t think that i could even RIDE that far- nevertheless RACE that far. i saw some motorcycles heading my way up ahead and i caught myself thinking, “please run me over!” that way, i would get a ride home in the ambulance, sympathy and most importantly, i would STOP riding!!!! a bit unfocused? hummm... sprinter, we need to work on that! but i did snap out of it and i erased the visions of hitch-hiking home and raced for the car. “if i keep going hard, it will all end more quickly”. i was racing like a barn-sour old mare, heading for the feedbag!
i can laugh about it now. i DO love time trialing though and have FAR from given up!!!! i LOVE getting better with my weaknesses and this is one of them. but it won’t always be. i am getting better with every race (save for the ones where i beg to be hit by a harley!)... and am looking forward to doing more.
and now for the crit...
THAT WAS ONE OF THE MOST FUN CRITS I HAVE DONE!!!! t-mobile was there with a full squad except for sprinting legend ina teutenberg... and they were looking for a win. the entire race was SUPER fast, strung out and i was very very impressed with how well my team was racing. at one point, linda got on the horn and told the team, “tibco- everyone get in front of brooke” and i was immediately swarmed by my entire squad! then when attacks flew- as they did nearly every lap- blue and pink sailed in hot pursuit.
i was having a blast and my legs felt like a million bucks. after how thrashed they were in the tt the day before, i was not so sure. but i just felt great. my legs were snappy and strong and i was SO excited out there.
but, with only a few laps to go, i had a mechanical mishap and was not able to get a free lap for it. i was SO bummed, but still high from JUST how much fun i was having out there... so, that sidelined me while i watched the rest of my team with confidence. we had a new sprinter out there and i knew that she would shock some people with her speed. next thing i knew though- she was down in a corner with two other teammates and a pile of riders! and then ANOTHER crash took out ANOTHER teammate! soon, we only had stacy, liza and caitlyn (who had to chase on after one of the crashes) left. despite the lack of sprinters, stacy and liza still posted 10th and 12th and caitlyn was up in the mix too.
we were not down after the race- quite the opposite. everyone was OK- HUGH relief- and we were thrilled with how well we HAD been racing. things are really starting to gel and the timing is good- since redlands is next weekend and it is one of the biggest races of the year. we KNEW that we raced a great race and that ^%$* happens. all you can do is just pick yourself up, learn your lessons and race again! and in this case... the “race again” is a big one!!!!
SO EXCITED FOR REDLANDS!!!!
just a ps... last year, i was a guest rider for Ford Cycling team at redlands. in the crit, i raced against ina for the first time. i had NO clue what i was doing out there and chased her down TWICE in the first half of the race (the first time by myself! and the second time with two other Lipton rider). she is an awesome rider and the power she puts out is incredible. i will never forget the look of bewilderment (and perhaps disgust) as she gazed back at me, this unknown rider on a pink bike, chasing her down... i botched that finish, sitting on the wrong wheel and thinking that a leadout train would form when it didn’t. in the end, i finished 13th and was THRILLED! but when i replay that race, and the mistakes that i made toward the end in particular (not to mention the mistakes of chasing ina!!!!), i realize that i could have done much better. i have been replaying that finish for a year now. this race has ina, tina AND laura... these are the big fish sprinters all in the same pond. i want to win this. i am going to race this to win it. if i do, great. if not? i mean.... it IS a pretty tough field out there!
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