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Pink Kona
04-01-2005, 12:54 PM
This weekend I'll be racing in my first criterium.... got any advise about when to set up for the win? I heard you have to start thinking about the finish about 5 laps from the finish... any other suggestions?

BikeMomma
04-02-2005, 09:24 PM
Hey Pink,

You probably already raced if it was today (hope you did well, if so), but I thought I'd reply anyway. Five laps before the finish seems reasonable, as at that point you should be thinking about moving up to the front, if you aren't there already (and you should be, to prevent/join breaks off the front). The back of the pack is not the place to win races and increases your chances of crashing!

Generally, the last two laps are when things really heat up - fighting for position, etc. and there will be a lot of blocking going on by organized teams. The blocking can be pretty effective, so be ready for it & think ahead, strategy, etc.

Walk the course beforehand. Note bad corners, sudden narrowing of roads, etc. and imagine what line you'd take through them (and remember to take that line when possible).

Pay attention to the preems and go for it if you have the legs! You can win some extra $$ or free bike stuff.

Another thing, be ready for the sprint. Think in terms of what gear you'll use, so that when the time comes, you can just go without fiddling with the gears or spinning out - if possible, and depending on speed and terrain (i.e. uphill finishes), try to get in that gear, or close to it, before the sprint, but not too far before. Be ready for someone coming around the outside from your draft.

And remember to hydrate yourself, but choose your moments. The best time to attack is when another rider is not prepared/ready for you to do so (like drinking). Don't run out of gas!

Another thing - don't crash! Take your corners smooth, watch out for rough corners and traffic dots down the center lines and watch out for the squirrelly gals, and there will be some. Don't let them take you out, and don't take anyone else out, in return. You can draft, but do not cross wheels - keep behind the rider in front of you. If they swing out for a break attempt, they could take you out. Not good!!

Good luck! Use this first race, perhaps, as a training race. Just watch & learn for the next one. Then, next race, KICK some TAIL!

Crits are a beautiful thing.... :cool: ;)

Pink Kona
04-03-2005, 06:57 AM
Thanks Bike Momma - coincidentally my brother used to call me that when we were kids. :)

The crit is later today - I'll let you know how it goes. The unfortunate thing - it's supposed to rain more than an inch... which may narrow the field quite a bit. I'm looking forward to it though... thanks for the advise.

BikeMomma
04-03-2005, 07:53 AM
Good Luck, Pink! No crashing! Especially with the rain...eewwww. Stay off the white lines - they're slippery in the rain.
:) Happy racing....next year I might start up again, myself.

Pink Kona
04-04-2005, 10:03 AM
I was too tired last night to let you know - but I placed 4th! And I won $30! No crashes - although one woman was trying hard to take people out.

Talk about a hard effort - 12 laps in 30 minutes with a couple hill climbs. Two women broke off the front of the group - and I didn't have any legs from the previous day 75 mile adventure. I am really happy with 4th - I learned a lot. Thank you for the encouragment! I have another one next weekend - and now that I know I need to chase them down as soon as possible we'll see how it goes next week!

CorsairMac
04-04-2005, 12:40 PM
Wooohoo...congrats on both the 4th And the $30!! and it sounds like you had fun! Well Done Pink! :p (closest thing to a pink smiley we had!)

BikeMomma
04-04-2005, 11:15 PM
Way to go, Pink!!! Fourth is super, and the cash is always nice. That pays for the Starbucks reward afterwards and a new tub of electrolyte drink! :D And fourth on an uphill finish is not bad at all! Hope your post-race recovery is going well.

How did you finish, gear-wise? I remember a race I did with an uphill finish...I misjudged and totally spun out, but placed about 9th out of a field of about 20 or so girls. It was a fun race, only one crash that I can remember, due to someone not holding her line (ggrrrr). Sent the other one flying into a ditch, bike end over end. Glad to hear that your "squirrelly one" didn't get the best of you. There's always one of 'em, so watch out. Oftentimes, the you'll see the same gals at the next race and you'll know who to avoid at all costs.

How big was the field, and I'm assuming Womens Cat 4?? Did the weather gods smile on you or dump it on ya? I imagine Seattle can get pretty wet.

I'm so dead meat -- I'm catching the racing bug again! My husband took that news amazingly well, a blank stare but no protest - I think he realizes there's no point in fighting it! ha!

I raced about 12/13 years ago, then sortof burned out on cycling (I made the grave mistake of being too strict on myself) and met my husband at around the same time. He doesn't ride, so I started spending more and more time away from the bike to be with him. Then we got married, along came the kids (3 of the cute little buggers!), and now that my daughter is two and ALOT less dependent (I breastfed all my kids through 18mos+), I'm able to creep out of the house for rides with the guys (some racers, some not) on Saturday a.m.'s and whenever else possible, quick lunchtime rides, etc. I also bought myself a trainer that I can ride whatever hour of the day I can, usually late after the kids are in bed.

Sooo, I'm getting there. (See the "Goals" thread). I figure if I can meet my goal of staying with the racers by the end of this season, then I'll get my racing license and go for it.

I watched a couple crit's (Merced Criterium and McClane Pacific Cycling Classic) in the next city over from mine (Merced, about 7mi away) spaced a week apart, as well as rode out to the RR course for one of the series (a 55mi day from my house), and was extremely pleased to see how many women are out there racing now. The fields were huge! When I was racing before, a good turnout was maybe 10-15! These fields for the Women's Cat 4 had a good 50+ entered. So awesome so early in the season (this was end of Feb/early March). So, I do believe I've been bitten by the racing bug, and the more I'm riding and getting my form back, the more I'm thinking about where I'll be next year.

Anyway, Pink - I always end up babbling on these posts, sorry....keep us posted on your future races, wins (let's hope). And good luck!

Pink Kona
04-05-2005, 08:33 AM
How cool to have the racing spark back in your life. You can do it! That's a great goal of being in racing shape by the end of the season. There's a woman on my team who has a 12 month old, is still breast feeding and also has a three year old. She and her husband had "the talk" and decided it was her time to pursue athletics because she last year was his turn. He brings the kids to all of her races - and right after she's done ripping it up on the course she breastfeeds her baby. Amazing. Where there's a will there's a way.

Gearing wise - I was maybe a gear or two off from where I would have liked to be. I spun up the hill and immediately switched to 53-19 and could/should have been in 53-13. I spun out a little but now I know what to expect for next time. And yes, we raced in a down pour. It was fun - and I'm pleased with the experience. Those girls better watch out - I learn fast. :) (BTW - your assumption is correct - Cat 4 for none other than Starbucks Duetto Visa.)

Pink Kona
04-08-2005, 06:15 PM
I just found out about this picture today. That's me in the front with the big cheesy grin my face - loving every minute of it.

http://www.bikecafe.net/pa/PAViewPhoto.asp?ID=8222

SadieKate
04-08-2005, 06:41 PM
That's really terrific picture. Worthy of framing!

Bike Goddess
04-08-2005, 06:49 PM
Pink Kona- You are AWESOME! If I were about 25years younger I might be willing to take you on :) You go girl! :D :D

Bike Momma- Where were you when I was riding the McClane century this year?... and.. watching the crits when I got back to Merced that afternoon! Great century! Did we pass your little town? Atwater sounds familiar! :)

spazzdog
04-08-2005, 07:21 PM
You wanna do some internet coaching?

I'm just getting started; the Cinderella was my "kick me in the a$$" ride.

Monday I start at the gym with strength training. My bike will probably be home by the next Monday with its new crank.

My tentative schedule will then be alternating 3 days in the gym with 3 days on the bike for about 7 weeks. Then I'll cut to 2 days in the gym and 4 days on the bike, gradually increasing my bike time from 2 to 4-5 hrs (on long ride days).

At what point do I enter my first race? Suggestions? Take this off-line unless the group is interested. You can email me at spazzdog@comcast.net

Goal: to race at the 2006 Gay Games in Chicago (Jul 15-22, 2006 in case anybody is interested) Check out http://www.gaygameschicago.org/ for more info.

And Pink... great job grrl. I am impressed! Good pic too. Frame that one!

spazz

Bike Goddess
04-09-2005, 10:34 AM
Hey Spazz- Great goal and Great training workout. Have you got someone who can design a program for you at the gym? I have a woman who is a former racer as well as trainer at my gym (we often ride together). She has designed a workout for me that is just right :)

I am soooo excited for you! 2006 Gay Olympics in Chicago. We better get our schedules in order so TE can come support you en masse. :D :D :D

spazzdog
04-09-2005, 10:58 AM
Support my A$$... I better see a passal of y'all competing.

One needn't by gay to participate. It's open enrollment and all the sports are sanctioned by the associated sport governing bodies.

Your registration fee gets you free admission to most of the other sports, free public trans., participation in both Opening and Closing Ceremonies (for those of us wanting to experience that "Olympics feeling") and your participation medal. The sport fee lets you participate in up to 4 events within cycling. Medals (yes, I said medals) are usually awarded to the top 3 overall, as well as the top 3 within the specific age groups.

Within cycling, there is a road race, a crit, an ind time trial and a team time trial. For mtn, there is a Cross Country Race. In a different division, there is a Triathlon. For you Multi-sport grrls, theres also Track and Field, something I competed in both in '90 and '94... actually chaired T&F for the '94 games.

I'm thinking a TE Team is in order...

my 25 cents :rolleyes:

BikeMomma
04-10-2005, 06:38 AM
Hey Pink! Great picture - look at you, all smilin' & stuff!!! We need to change your name to CritGoddess, now! :D :D :D I'd love to see & hear more about your racing experiences, and glad I could help you out!

Spazz, you can do it! That training program sounds ok - the main thing is to pay close attention to what your body is telling you. If you feel yourself starting to drag a little, ease up on the intensity or length of your rides/workouts. You don't want to overtrain and push yourself too hard. Build up to it.

I recently picked up Chris Carmichael's book, "The Lance Armstrong Performance Program". Although I'm just too flippin' busy to even hope to read it yet (my college night class is taking up all my reading time!!), it does have what he calls the "7-week Success Plan". Again, the idea is to build slowly. I suggest following this program, from start to finish, including the assessment section at the beginning to see where you are fitness-wise to start. The book also has chapters about cornering, descending, sprinting, etc. that, Pink, you may find helpful, as well. A friend of mine went through Chris's program through the book and highly recommends it, which is why I purchased it. Again, I haven't had a chance to sit down and read it thoroughly, so I don't have personal results as of yet.

Nancy - oops! BikeGoddess (heehee) - I was there at the McClane!!! I watched the crit and some of the road race the next day (my mom watched the kids). I did the century, as well (100k). After I was done with the century, which was about around 2pm I think, I hung around with a biker guy-friend of mine, mainly near the finish line, but I was over by the bbq area for a while too, getting my free lunch (well, we DID make a run over to Starbuck real quick...guilty!!).

I got back from my ride just in time to see the women's race finish, then they had the tots race, then the pros started. What an awesome show, eh?? The McClane Pac. has gotten so huge through the years, it's unbelievable. Now it's the race the teams talk about coming to - they really like the course. It's generally smooth roads, especially down M St where the finish is, and fast. The race has become big with Merced residents, also. I notice much more interest from the average citizen then from years' past (I work in Merced, at City Hall). Whenever I mention to someone that I cycle, a good majority of the time one of the questions I get it is "Do you ride in that race they have downtown??" They forget the name, but remember the event, which is better than nothing. There is actually two race weekends, though, that are held in Merced. The McClane has by far outgrown the other though (Merced Criterium and RR - it was actually the original race in Merced, started in 1988/89).

Atwater is about 7 miles northwest of Merced, and actually, some of the roads used in the century are just north of Atwater. So yes, BG, you were in my neck o' the woods! Most of the time, I drive to Merced for my rides when I meet up with someone or a group. Until I have enough endurance to ride over there and then keep up with them, I'll just load the bike on the rack and drive over. There's a group that meets at the Raley's supermarket Saturday mornings that I ride with. We passed the supermarket on the century too. Also, you would have passed Atwater on Hwy 99 to get to Merced from the Bay Area. Hope you didn't blink! hehe Actually, about 10/12 years ago, Atwater was much more of a bustling town compared to what it is now. The Castle Air Force Base being closed down by the government really was a blow to Atwater's economy, and it's still struggling. We moved here because the price of housing is just a tiny bit cheaper than Merced's. We got more house for our money. I'm hoping some of the benefits of Merced's growth, spawned by the acquisition of the next University of California campus (UC Merced), come Atwater's way.

Sorry for the book, you guys...got kinda wordy!! :rolleyes:

spazzdog
04-10-2005, 07:08 AM
Thanks BikeMomma!

I haven't purchased the Carmicheal book (yet). I have and am using "Bike Racing 101" by Kendra & Rene Wenzel. I like it because they address (in terms of pronouns) women almost throughout the book.

I'm in the building phase... hopefully I'll be able to try a race toward the end of the season. Waiting to pick up my license until I'm well into training and feel that I'll be able to enter a race without killing myself (or someone else). It may turn out that it would be better to get more training under my belt and wait until beginning of 2006 season to race. The games aren't until July so there would be 3 months of opportunity for local races here in New England... unless I come out to CA early next year for a little race then the Cindy ;)

Pink Kona, keep posting your progress here in this thread. I'm living vicariously... you go grrl!

spazz

Pink Kona
04-10-2005, 05:37 PM
I had my lungs handed to me today on a silver platter. They were battered, bruised, asthmatic, purple and had a tight fist clenched around them. It hurt. It actually hurt more once I stopped and my heart rate caught up.

The notorious Boat Street crit was this morning. They lumped all the cats together and some big names showed up. Which meant the pace was relentless. I hung tough until lap 9 when my lungs weren't getting enough oxygen to my legs fast enough and I was spit off the back. I was one of the last Cat 4s to last though - and it came down to the pro riders sprinting to the finish. Had I hung on 1/2 more of a lap the pace slowed and I may have completed the course. It was an expensive 12 minute training race!

Crits are intriguing. They can spank you - but if you maintain and can get through the first 15 minutes, then you'll be a contender for the finish. Next weekend is another road race -my favorite. It's a 65 mile climbing race. Then the following day is another crit. I'll let you know how it goes... thanks Bike Momma for your encouragement! Bike racing is not easy. :eek:

Bike Goddess
04-10-2005, 07:48 PM
Well, I did the REAL century- all 104 miles! The last 10 miles was kind of a joke as we had to do a extra loop and then hook up with the main road back. Fortunately there were enough cyclists around so it was easy to determine the route :)
Sorry I missed you, it would have been fun to hookup. Not many people know about that ride perhaps because its only the 2nd time they've done a road ride on the same day as the critsl.

One of the guys in my club (Pete) did the road race on Sunday. I think he placed 4th in his group. He loved the race! :) :)
Great countryside expecially once you get up into the hills around Turlock Lake and of course San Pedro Dam. I got some pictures of the T River at SP Dam. Post me your email and I'll send them over! ;)

BikeMomma
04-11-2005, 08:45 PM
I had my lungs handed to me today on a silver platter. They were battered, bruised, asthmatic, purple and had a tight fist clenched around them. It hurt. It actually hurt more once I stopped and my heart rate caught up.
Owwie! Owwie! I feel your pain - oh man, been there done that!! And somehow insane enough to seriously consider doing it again!


I hung tough until lap 9 when my lungs weren't getting enough oxygen to my legs fast enough and I was spit off the back. I was one of the last Cat 4s to last though - and it came down to the pro riders sprinting to the finish. Had I hung on 1/2 more of a lap the pace slowed and I may have completed the course. It was an expensive 12 minute training race!
Good job!!! You're almost there!!


Crits are intriguing. They can spank you - but if you maintain and can get through the first 15 minutes, then you'll be a contender for the finish. Next weekend is another road race -my favorite. It's a 65 mile climbing race. Then the following day is another crit. I'll let you know how it goes... thanks Bike Momma for your encouragement! Bike racing is not easy.
Not easy, but ohhhh so fun!! Good luck with the road race...they're my favorite too. Eeeewww, climbs..... :D

BikeMomma
04-11-2005, 08:57 PM
One of the guys in my club (Pete) did the road race on Sunday. I think he placed 4th in his group. He loved the race! :) :)

Great countryside expecially once you get up into the hills around Turlock Lake and of course San Pedro Dam. I got some pictures of the T River at SP Dam. Post me your email and I'll send them over! ;)
It was a beautiful day out there at the road race. I heard there were a couple horrendous crashes though. The emergency room was busy - a friend of mine was there for an unrelated incident and vouched that there were cyclists "everywhere", and all they were concerned about were their bikes! hehe...gotta love it!

The pictures would be wonderful, BG. My email should be on my profile page. I love the foothills over here. A mix of green grass and rock, sortof a rugged beauty to it. Heck, I'm just a sucker for a beautiful view wherever it is! :rolleyes:

alison_in_oh
04-12-2005, 03:43 AM
Pink Kona, you are an inspiration. I'm actually thinking about racing tonight's crit instead of just sitting on the sideline. :eek:

It'd be a men's 4/5 field though, and I've seen them ride -- the rule is no crossing the centerline because there's car traffic on the road but do you think they obey that? HA!

I think I can wait till tonight to decide. I don't think I'll race, I don't even think I can make to the site in time for staging let alone registration. :confused:

spazzdog
04-12-2005, 03:58 AM
Way to go Pink!

I know the feeling of combustible lungs... got the same feeling doing track speed workouts (running). Keep up the good work! 1/2 a lap more of endurance to hang with the bunch is not bad at all. Good luck in the road race.

And BG, nice job on the century. You are a real hard-body! Hey, why aren't you racing? You obviously have the endurance and speed...

Pink Kona
04-12-2005, 07:17 AM
Pink Kona, you are an inspiration. I'm actually thinking about racing tonight's crit instead of just sitting on the sideline. :eek:

It'd be a men's 4/5 field though, and I've seen them ride -- the rule is no crossing the centerline because there's car traffic on the road but do you think they obey that? HA!

I think I can wait till tonight to decide. I don't think I'll race, I don't even think I can make to the site in time for staging let alone registration. :confused:

You totally should go for it! But make sure that if you do race that day, you put down nutrition no more than 2 1/2 hours beforehand. I had a teammate choke down a Cliff bar minutes before the crit and she didn't feel so good.

Do you not have many women racing in Ohio? We nearly set a record on Sunday with 39 women in the race. The average speed was 22mph. Female participation in the PNW has grown significantly, despite 50% chance of showers. :) And typically they will separate the Cat 4's from the rest of the group. The 1/2/3s always race together. But I look forward to the races with the combined fields. I strongly believe that you're only as good as your riding partners.... advancing up a field can certainly boost skills.

alison_in_oh
04-12-2005, 07:35 AM
You totally should go for it! But make sure that if you do race that day, you put down nutrition no more than 2 1/2 hours beforehand. I had a teammate choke down a Cliff bar minutes before the crit and she didn't feel so good.

Do you not have many women racing in Ohio? We nearly set a record on Sunday with 39 women in the race. The average speed was 22mph. Female participation in the PNW has grown significantly, despite 50% chance of showers. :) And typically they will separate the Cat 4's from the rest of the group. The 1/2/3s always race together. But I look forward to the races with the combined fields. I strongly believe that you're only as good as your riding partners.... advancing up a field can certainly boost skills.

I'm not really sure yet. This particular race is just the weekly local crit, 2 mile lap through a business park. There's an A and a B group, split approximately 1/2/3 and 4/5. I'm told there are about 5 women who ride regularly enough to be "known", one of whom rides with the As.

There are women's races out there, but I think the turnout is low and they usually combine all categories. I understand it can be kind of demoralizing to be brand new and riding with the Cat 1 women!

I think I'll skip out for this week, it'd be too tight to get home at 5:15, get some food in me, prep my bike, drive the congested freeway for as much as 45 minutes to an hour, register and start at 6:30. But if I like what I see as a spectator I'll think about ways to streamline the prep for next week. :)

The only reason I want to race is as a benchmark. I read somewhere that some people train to race and others race to train (ie to keep motivation up for regular riding). I think I fall in the latter group. So you're right that the challenge of riding with those better than I is just what I need! :)

alison_in_oh
04-13-2005, 04:55 AM
Mostly copied from my post to bikeforums:

I went last night's crit sans bike. The B group did 11 laps. About a third of the pack, including all four or five women, were dropped in the first lap. Everybody just kept gamely struggling along (and getting in the way of both main packs, and screwing up the race coordinator's ability to keep track of placements!) From conversations among the B group riders and from eyeballing it, the main pack wasn't doing more than 24 on the straightaways. I was chilling at 24 in my small ring this morning on my commute, and have ridden on group rides with Cat 2 and 3 racers where I sat in and spun at 26-27 or more. So as far as basic speed/fitness: I think I can do this. I think I'm going to bring my bike next week.

Yes, I'm sure that I'll get gapped and lack power to keep up with any bursts of speed, and yes there's a 120 degree hairpin that scares the crap out of me, but I think if I stay in the middle at the start the laggards will drop off behind me and if I keep an inside line as y'all suggest I'll stay up in the turn. I think I can manage not to completely embarrass myself.

spazzdog
04-13-2005, 05:04 AM
Alison... you go grrl!

And check in the "Downhill" thread... I posted some diagrams last night that show the lines to take on a variety of turns.

spazz

Pink Kona
04-13-2005, 06:40 AM
Scoping out the course is key to completing it. You know where the turns are, or in this case THE turn is - and where people get out of their saddles. Hopefully enough of it will have sunk in so that when you're racing it - it will come back to you. The surges are inevitable - but placing yourself in the front 2/3 will conserve 5-10% more energy then if you're hanging on in the back for dear life. If you're on the back - try for dear life to move forward.

I am so excited for you Alison! I can't wait to hear how it goes. Training wise - sounds like you're getting some awesome base miles commuting. I would throw in a sprint effort too - if you don't already. In the end it comes down to the sprint. And if you master it - you will be faster than 95% of the women out there. (Let me know if you'd like some sprint workout suggestions.) Good Luck!

alison_in_oh
04-13-2005, 06:56 AM
I am so excited for you Alison! I can't wait to hear how it goes. Training wise - sounds like you're getting some awesome base miles commuting. I would throw in a sprint effort too - if you don't already. In the end it comes down to the sprint. And if you master it - you will be faster than 95% of the women out there. (Let me know if you'd like some sprint workout suggestions.) Good Luck!

Thanks, I'm excited too! I don't have a structured training program yet, but I'm trying to study up on the best way to improve in all-around ability. I think that sprints and long steady aerobic effort are things I need to work in. My usual rides have been a couple of hours of fartlek-style intervals, riding at a high-aerobic heartrate (averaging 85% of max), hitting the hills hard, and occasional bursts of effort to catch back on with the guys I'm riding with, or to make a light before it changes. ;)

Man, I hope my new saddle comes soon! :D And spazz -- thanks for the images!

BikeMomma
04-13-2005, 11:26 PM
At what point do I enter my first race? Suggestions?
Hey Spazz -

I realized I never answered this particular question. Sorry!

What I would do (and am doing) is when you feel you're ready, find out where and when some of the racers do their training rides, and see if you can join them. They can be male or female, but generally-speaking, the guys are faster which will tend to make you push yourself harder. Don't give up and don't get discouraged when or if they drop you. Just continue your training ride at your own pace, and then set a goal to stay with them just a wee bit longer next time. Baby steps! Set the small goals for the short-term, meet them, and then work your way up to the bigger long-term ones, like staying with them for the WHOLE ride.

When you get to that point (finishing the ride with the group) and you're feeling good and competitive, maybe even out-sprinting one or three of them on interval sprints, then I would say that you're ready to race. Even before that point, actually, you can enter a race if you think you can hang on for a while. One of the best ways to train for racing is to race, believe it or not.

Hope that helps! Go for it, Spazz - you can do it! The Games sound wonderful, and we're all rooting for you! :D
-Kim

spazzdog
04-14-2005, 03:29 AM
Thanks BikeMomma!

Pink Kona
04-20-2005, 08:13 AM
Completed my third crit on Sunday and did much better. I was able to read the pack a lot more than before - and put the hurt on! Those poor girls. It's really fun setting the pace. Now I just need a teammate to be with to launch constant attacks.
From the start line, I geared down and took off like a bandit. A teammate followed me and said - "Jen, we're off the front - let's go for it." And low and behold, once we got going, our own teammates free-rode the peloton to us. Whoops! Hopefully that won't happen again.
I did pull a rookie move though. They rang the cow bell to signify a preme and I sprinted to be the first across the finish line, only to find out it was the following lap. What a dork. You have to start somewhere though. :) And that won't happen again. I placed 6th overall - impressive considering the previous day was 62 miles in 3.5 hours and 5,000 feet elevation gain. (I am not satisfied though - that stinkin' competitive gene in me!)
This upcoming weekend we are racing at the Tour of Walla Walla. It incorporates a individual time trial, road race and crit in two days. I'll let you know how it goes.

Spazzdog - excellent posts! You are a fantastic resource for me - thank you for your thoughtful and researched answers. I share them with my entire team.

CorsairMac
04-20-2005, 12:07 PM
Keep sharing Pink - what an inspiration! and keep up the good work ma'am!!! :p (closest thing to a pink smilie)

BikeMomma
04-24-2005, 12:50 PM
Way to go Pink! Too funny about the preem.... oops, I guess I neglected to tell you that part! Glad you had fun, though - that's the name of the game (besides actually winning!).

Hope to hear a report on the Tour of Walla Walla! Speed rocks!

- Bike "wish I was racing too" Momma

Pink Kona
04-25-2005, 07:27 AM
You are not going to believe this.

On Thursday night, I raced all around Seattle looking for Aerobars compatible with my carbon handlebars. I found them, slapped them on and rode for about 20 minutes on a very busy inner-urban trail. Saturday at 12:09:30 I started my first 5 mile, point to point time trial and placed 5th! I couldn't believe it. Suddenly my contention for overall GC was a reality. Unfortunately 1st place was 54 seconds ahead of me - so I was planning on placing myself in front of her for the 36 mile road race.

Well as luck would have it, Walla Walla was engulfed by a HUGE thunderstorm, with lightening, rain, and severe wind. The other fields that were racing - Pro 1-2 men and 1-3 Women, Cat 4-5 men, etc were cancelled mid race and had to fend for themselves back to town. A friend in the men's field said they had such a fierce tailwind that their cruising speed on the flats was 45 mph! The officials had Cat 4 women and the Cat 3 men stand around for an hour and a half before cancelling it. Our team was bummed because we have a pretty good chance with the road race of advancing our positions.

The next morning our crit started at 8 am. I visualized chasing down the leaders and out-sprinting them at the finish line. There were two time bonuses for the premes... my coach and I discussed the possibility of getting those and making sure my breaks were without any of the leaders. I managed to get two premes - $10 and 2 seconds knocked off but unfortunately I broke with #3. Even with the premes, it was not enough to place myself 1st overall, but I could potentially podium.

When #1, her teammate, and #3 had a break on the final 2 laps, I hopped right on - knowing that it was now or never. We flew around the 6 corners - but for some reason #1 decided to do all the pulling, which tired her just enough. Her teammate, a strong racer as well was going for the win.... #3 and I were neck and neck. And when we pulled around the final bend with 300 m to go - I pulled right and managed to out-sprint them all to win the crit!!!!!!!!! What a sweet victory.

It's hard to imagine this was my 4th crit - I started out disliking them in the beginning because they were so challenging, but was able to figure out the strategy of who to watch, who's stronger, etc. I pumped my arms right after passing the finish line.... my team was going nuts - I can't believe I won. That win bumped me up a spot to #4 overall in GC. A pretty good showing for someone who just started racing in March.

Thank you for the encouragement - I still have a lot to learn. I'm catching on pretty quickly and my sprint is nothing to be desired.... but my heart and soul is in this sport completely. It is amazing to win something you have been training for - and so has everyone else. Those girls didn't go down without a fight though! I have always believed that you are only as good as your best competition. :) I'll see if I can locate some photos....

alison_in_oh
04-25-2005, 07:37 AM
WOW. What a thrilling weekend! Holy moly, CONGRATULATIONS! :D You are so awesome!

DirtDiva
04-25-2005, 07:39 AM
Awesome! Well done! :cool:

SadieKate
04-25-2005, 07:55 AM
Big congrats! Well done! Bravo!!!!

Veronica
04-25-2005, 09:28 AM
Great write up. I felt like I was there. Congratulations too!

V.

CorsairMac
04-25-2005, 12:41 PM
wonderful write-up - you had me holding my breathe as you were describing the final sprint! Well Done Pink!!.

Thinks the She-Ra Tiara should go to Pink for the day!

Corsair "pumping arms in the air too" Mac

annie
04-25-2005, 04:55 PM
Awesome, Pink! You earned that win. Hope you have many more.

annie

BikeMomma
04-25-2005, 06:53 PM
Whhhoooohooooooo!!! Way to go, Pink! You truly rock!!

Me thinks the student has graduated......!!! :D :D

Pink Kona
04-25-2005, 06:58 PM
Here are a couple of links to some photos - there's more on the website - but these were the highlights...

http://wheelsinfocus.com/IMG_9400ww.JPG
break off the front - winning two premes total

http://wheelsinfocus.com/IMG_9441ww.JPG
Sprinting at the end...

http://wheelsinfocus.com/IMG_9450ww.JPG
talking with the announcer...

Thanks for the congrats!

spazzdog
04-25-2005, 07:13 PM
Well done Pink! Well done!

And how did I miss that Starbucks sponsors a team...

spazzdog (beaming like a proud puppy)

Veronica
04-25-2005, 07:15 PM
Pink Kona your public profile is a hoot. :p

V.

BikeMomma
04-25-2005, 07:17 PM
Lookin' all pro & stuff! hehe I'm lovin' it, Pink -- great pics! I'm truly enjoying hearing about your race weekends. Awesome! :p :p

Pink Kona
05-08-2005, 05:04 PM
So apparently Walla Walla was just a precursor to this Saturday's road race. My wildest dreams are coming true - someone please pinch me!

We raced in Elma, Washington - near Olympia. The course is a 12.8 mile loop with a couple rollers, two hills right after one another, a nuclear plant and then a fast descent to flat farmland, repeat. We did 2 1/2 laps - and the finish is at the top of the hill. It's a grinder. The 200m mark is the steepest section and then it flattens out just enough before the finish line.

I must say my team has come a long way. We launched some attacks and played some eloquent defensive tactics. I smiled the whole race at how everything came together. Our General Manager told each person a task - and I was the lucky person to bring home the gold. It was thrilling.

During the last lap - I was able to place myself in a perfect position for the final uphill sprint - in the third seat. I didn't know if I would have the juice to complete the climb and then sprint the remaining 50m of flats... but apparently my wheaties worked today! My sister and mom were both there to witness and take photos. The following link is some of her work.

www.sportsshooter.com/marcysutton

Thank you all for your support. All of the positive feedback and encouragement fuels my fire and makes me sprint that much faster at the end. :)

SadieKate
05-08-2005, 05:11 PM
WOW!!! Not much else to say. You did good. :)

spazzdog
05-08-2005, 05:18 PM
FAN-TAB-ulous!!

spazz :cool:

CorsairMac
05-08-2005, 09:33 PM
Rock on Pink!.....you da racin bomb hun!!!

Congrats!

BikeMomma
05-08-2005, 09:55 PM
Fabulous!! I'm soooo happy for you!! :D :D

(So, when are you movin' up in Cat, hmmmmm??? lol) :cool:

DeniseGoldberg
05-09-2005, 03:25 AM
Wonderful! Congrats to you for the ride, and to your sister too for her great photos.

--- Denise

BikeMomma
06-22-2005, 11:00 PM
Hey, Pink Kona....

Spazz's awesome new threat "Race Results" in General Discussion made me think of you. :)

Are you still out there tearing up the racing circuit?

Anyone know how to move Pink's thread over to the Race Results topic? We'll be able to find it easier that way.

spazzdog
06-23-2005, 04:27 AM
Moving the thread requires the super powers of our resident super heroes.

I'll shine the Bat light into the heavens and you watch the phone booth for the costume change :D

BikeMomma
06-23-2005, 07:24 PM
Moving the thread requires the super powers of our resident super heroes.

I'll shine the Bat light into the heavens and you watch the phone booth for the costume change :D

So what are we, the Wonder-women of TE? :D :D

I'll circle overhead in my invisible airplane and use my super telepathy powers to send "move thread" brain waves to those who can assist us. And if that doesn't work, I'll use my golden lasso to round 'em up.

heehee :D :D

p.s. I dig your "hot" new avatar. Smokin'!!

Pink Kona
06-24-2005, 08:37 AM
Hey, Pink Kona....

Spazz's awesome new threat "Race Results" in General Discussion made me think of you. :)

Are you still out there tearing up the racing circuit?
Hey Ladies! Hope all is going well in your neck of the woods. It's been a while since I posted so I'll keep it short but sweet.....

I upgraded! I took the plunge last week and have already raced my first crit with the 1/2/3s. It went really well until I pulled the "Lance Armstrong" - my nerves were out of control and I thought I was invincible - pulling 3 laps on a 50 minute crit in downtown Kent, Wa. Next thing I knew, I was shot out the back of the pack and sucking air to finish the crit. It's funny - I knew better but I just couldn't help myself. I went up to the leader after ward and told her congrats - she's a Cat 1 rider - and she said, "thanks Jennifer." Whoa - she knew my name! Apparently my efforts are not going unnoticed. Crazy!

Then there's the track scene.... we have a local Velodrome up here and if you have one near by I HIGHLY recommend going. After one introduction class, I promptly went to my local shop and bought a fixed gear. I am racing on Friday nights now and have my eyes on an upcoming National Qualifier.... I'll let you know how it goes! It's been an amazing season so far - thank you all for your encouragement.

Oh and on a side note - I had my first crash. This other rider pulled a bad move just before a corner during a crit a few weeks ago, down she went and down I went right on top of her. I now boast scared racing elbows and I cracked my Carbon Fiber handlebars! I was more worried about the bike than my own health. However, I called Easton the next day and they replaced them free of charge! How cool is that?!?! So - if you ever break something - call the manufacturer and try returning it - you never know what could happen!

I look forward to hearing from all of you! Jen

spazzdog
06-24-2005, 09:56 AM
I just put in a request (via PM) to admin to move this thread to the TE Race Results Forum.

The bulb in my Bat light went out... had to resort to "mortal" moves.

spazzdog
06-24-2005, 10:42 AM
Our fabulous admin moved it (it case you didn't notice).

All hail Ceasar, er-uhm, Administrator!

spazz - bowing and backing out of the throne room :D

BikeMomma
07-20-2005, 09:04 PM
The games aren't until July so there would be 3 months of opportunity for local races here in New England
Spazz!! Any news about the Gay Games? Did you ride in it this year?