Pieffer Hill Road Race
Stevens, PA
Saturday, June 16, 2007
Women ¾
I arrived at the course around 7:45 - early enough to register, change, and do a one lap pre-ride. My race wasn’t scheduled til 10:20, but I think it’s worth getting there early to survey the terrain and spin my legs loose.
The course started with a quick right turn, followed by a fast and swoopy downhill. The first slow point was a mile or two in, where there was a sharp right followed by a small bump up. Then more downhill and flat sections, a right turn, and a smooth but slightly uphill fast road. Another right turn, and it was climbing. Not steep or terribly long, so I planned to keep it in the big ring. The predominantly uphill final two miles were punctuated by a short downhill and a right turn before the last 600 or so meters to the finish. Our race would complete three laps of the course, for a total of about 20 miles.
The field that served as a parking area wasn’t the best surface for using rollers, so I spent the time before my race shooting the poo with some folks and watching the men’s races in progress. As lineup time approached, I had two gels (when I should have had one) and rolled around on a road that intersected with the course.
Half the women lined up via the back, and the other half lined up via the front, which caused some grumbling in the pack, but it made no difference to me. I was in the second row, good enough.
The race started calmly, with the Sturdy Girls taking the lead. I was in the first third of the pack, rolling along in the draft. Pam from SVVC rolled up along side me and said “Hello Kristy Swope, how are you today?” which made me laugh. I replied that I was just fine and she said she was going to hang out in that part of the field to keep out of trouble.
We kept going at a mellow pace until about halfway through the first lap, when I saw Kate from Vortex wiggling her way to the front. She snuck through the lead riders and took off. I wasn’t in the best position to cover the move, but I figured it was just a jump to get things going. The pack quickly caught her, and I picked up the pace, passing the front of the pack and towing Jennifer from Boston Scientific behind me. We were ahead for just a minute or so and a Sturdy came to the front for the uphill portion. I latched onto her wheel and then went to the front for the little descent.
By the time we finished our first lap, the group was together again. Pam and I traded pulls at the front, along with a girl I didn’t know in a plain jersey. I wanted to help keep the pace a little faster this time around. As we approached the uphill section, I swung right to go through an opening for an attack. Just as I swung, Christine from SVVC swung over in front of me, thwarting my jump. I laughed and said, “Oh! Stymied!” to which Christine replied, “I’m a Mom, I have intuition!” So hopped on her wheel as we ascended. She kept up a good pace and I think we were both hurting a little. I looked back and saw we were a bit ahead of the pack. I told her “We have a gap!” and took over pulling as we crested. As I approached the end of the second lap, I looked back and saw that I had ridden Christine off my wheel. I couldn’t slow down, though, since I knew the pack wasn’t far behind.
I finished the second lap with a good lead and tried to play my strengths by taking the turns at speed and cooking it on the hills. I knew I would lose time on the downhill portions, so I tried to stay low and aero. Every once in a while I would stand for a few strong strokes to pick up the pace and stretch my legs. The pack was out of sight by the time I crested the first little bump. With several miles left to go, there was no way I could even think about relaxing. My stomach felt a little queasy. Two gels – not better than one. I maintained a pace just below total meltdown. If I could save something for the climb, I knew I would keep my lead.
I passed a few men who had been dropped from their packs and, as I made my way down the final little descent, I heard a female voice yelling. Oh crap. From that point, I basically turned myself inside out to keep it going. There was no way I was going to let them catch me in the last mile. I made the last right turn, looked ahead to the finish line, and looked back to the chasers. I was pretty sure I had it. Maybe. I pedaled in what seemed like slow motion. My entire body was on the verge of rebelling against what my mind wanted to do. People were yelling my name. “How do they know me?” I thought. And there was the banner. I got it.
