ACCC Race season

(Atlantic coast cycling conference -- collegiate).

It's nearly over, especially since I'm skipping some races because of finals and whatnot. I'm too lazy to do full race reports. But I'd like some input since this is my first season racing.

William & Mary Time Trial - 7th place. Got confused with unmarked finish line, so I didn't get a sprint at the end. The cold air really taxed my lungs, but my legs felt too fresh by the end.

time off and races canceled for a while

University of Maryland Crit - 5th place. I broke up the pack after the first lap to help my teammates who were 1st and 3rd. I suffered on the hill and in the headwind. Unfortunately made my move too early because they didn't have a lap counter, or I might've had 4th. My cornering skills and sprint efforts on the quick parts of the course kept me alive.

Jefferson Cup Road Race - Fell off the Cat 4 pack right off the bat. But I managed to join in a small paceline. Some long gradual hills were my nemeses, but I'd previewed the course and was prepared. Finished 7th in the collegiate field by out-sprinting a couple others at the line.

Wake Forest - the field was a bit more competitive here. Flatter courses. Some new schools participating.
TT - Course wasn't marked really well and the people directing us in the corners didn't do any directing. I pushed myself harder than my first TT, but still wound up 6th.
1st Crit - Couldn't hang with the surges on the "hills." Pretty poor performance overall. Managed a decent sprint for 9th place.
2nd Crit - Hung on to the pack the entire time. Made some strong efforts in the primes and got some points. Didn't have team support, and I was boxed out of the position I wanted on the last lap, got cut off and had to brake towards the end, putting me in a horrible position for the sprint. Still managed to get some of my top speeds. Don't remember the placing, but it was something sad like 12th. Prime points meant nothing. Good practice for pack riding, even though the pack was scary and frustrating.

It sounds exciting to me. Although you didn't always finish as well as you wanted to, I think you had some great results. What year are you in school? I was on the ski team in college- one of our team members was also on the cycling team. Boy was he in great shape. I haven't bike raced yet but am looking forward to it. How did you get started in bike racing? Good luck with school and cycling!

I'm an uber grad student, working on my LLM degree (post-law masters). As an undergrad, I was on the equestrian team. But law school has made me too busy (and too poor) for horses. Then I was always injured from running. So I got a road bike in Sept. I ran into some people from my school's team at the sponsor LBS, and they encouraged me to join. I wasn't sure I was ready to race, but the other women encouraged me. The fields are small, and the women's B field is a little easier than the typical Cat4. Plus, the first race was an ITT, so a little less stress there--just freaked out about the possibility of being passed.

It's also good that we have university club and outside sponsorship funds to help pay for race and travel expenses, which is something I wouldn't have doing races with a regular club.

Now I wish I had more than one year of school here! Turns out my alma mater has a team now in this conference, but it didn't exist back when I was there.

Last race of the season: NCSU
Road race - Hadn't been training since Wake, because my only ride turned into a wreck. Fell off the pack on the last lap. Worked with another girl to steadily move back up. About 1/2 way through the lap or so, the back of the pack wrecks in front of us. We have to slow to avoid the carnage. Then we just hang on and not let anyone pass us. I was 11th. My fast twich muscles just weren't there for the slight uphill sprint, as I should have eaten a gel on the last lap but didn't because I didn't have the chance to rest in the pack by the time I realized I needed calories.

Sunday crit - Major rain storms. I decided to move up a category for safety and earning points for my team towards nationals. My muscles were still exhausted from the road race. I ate a TON, hoping to get my energy up. I've also been sleep deprived from school work, so when the whistle blew, my body just said "what?" The good news is that I clipped in right away and I didn't immediately fall off the back. Then it got ugly. I got lapped a few times by the leaders. I caught back up with some other B riders who had also catted up for a while, but they weren't working together well and I was too tired from my ITT-like effort. I was last, but I did earn those good points. I held on for the entire 45 minutes and didn't pull up. I kinda wished they'd pull me, but I kept trucking, working on my form etc. Good workout I guess. But man it was windy. I wouldn't have done that great had I been on my best form, but maybe I wouldn't have been lapped as many times. At least the others were nice to me. Some of them have a reputation for being nasty (luckily most of those girls weren't present). The ITT practice was a good thing--I think those are more my thing. And maybe crits once I get my sprinting muscles back.

Gave up my 4th place ranking to be 22nd in the next category. Oh well.

Kind of disappointing finish, but I'm pretty pleased with the season. If I can get my training back on track, maybe I'll do some USCF races this summer.

Good job too. It sounds like you are pretty fast and savy about race tactics. How long have you been racing in college? As a junior?

Haha. No, this is my first year. I've wanted a road bike for a few years, more so since I got too injured to do much else. I got the bike as a post-bar exam present to myself last fall, rode around a bit, got talked into joining the team in November, and started racing in late February! It's been fun. I don't know how I'll hold up against some USCF Cat4s, but the university team was a great way to get into things with a small group and low cost.