Oh my oh my that one hurt a little more then a little. 55 fast women starters in my largest cyclocross race ever. Third row call up isn't great for the holeshot, but I have a great start and always got to go for it. I wasn't able to move my way up to an opening fast enough for the holeshot, but I hit the grass in top ten.
Hitting the barriers really fast in the lap it jammed up if you weren't in the to 10. Then just around the next corner you hit the steepest stair overpass I've ever seen and it packed up if you weren't in the top 2!! It felt like you had to lift the bike over your head just to clear the steps…so glad I'm tall, short people would have troubles climbing this one.
Through the twisty wooded section, out through rough grassy field, through the sand pit, back into the trees section near the end of the course (where all the climbing was), one final steep decent, turn around and run up the last climb and back out onto the start/finish pavement. It is easily one of the funnest and hardest courses around. No where out there to hide, no where out there to rest!
I think I went out a little too hard. After settling into my rhythm Nicole Duke was just out of my reach…couldn't quite close the gap.
Lap 3 and 4 were rather difficult, slowly Mereidth Miller passed me, Chloe Foresman passed me, and I couldn't give the gas to stay with them. It wast until part way through the 4th lap when Amanda Carey passed me that I was able to pick it up a little. I chased her down for the whole last lap, with Sue Butler, Pepper Harlton, Georgia Gould and a couple other girls breathing down my neck. Up the steep hill into the turn around to the run up, I was thinking it was probably my last chance to pass her, so I gassed it and found a line around Amanda (only to have her roll her tire off right behind me).
Finishing 9th place in my first Louisville racing experience. And now I have nasty gel belly!! Big salmon dinner, that was funny enough all the way from Canada, with potatoes, salad and chocolate and I'm all ready to do it again tomorrow !!!
Regan had an awesome race despite two good crashes, and finished 3rd!!! Amanda "Sport Bean" Wakeling finished 8th, Norm Thibault finished 12th and Peter Wellsman finished 21st. Awesome job islanders!
Huge thanks to Pro City, Zed Wheels, Lazer Helmets, Magpie Obsessions for the tire sponsor, VellendTech for the awesome Sidi shoes and Planet Foods for my Honey Stinger!!! Couldn't do it without you all!!! And big thanks to Regan Pringle for hanging out in the pits for me (haha and telling everyone that "No, she doesn't have a pit bike")
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