i'm going to race tomorrow! First time!

[velogirl]

Have fun, be safe, and race hard!

I always tell folks not to have friends come to spectate the first few times you race. You'll be nervous enough without them there, nevermind the additional pressure of wanting to do well for your friends. While cheering is nice, you have no idea of what the outcome will be. If you don't do well, it might be embarassing to you. And if your friends aren't there, you'll have fabulous stories to tell them!!!

Congratulations, Jenni.

[chickwhorips]

good luck and have fun! your gonna do great!

[adt216]

Good Luck! Have Fun and Be Safe!

[BikeMomma]

Right on, Jeni! You'll love it -- and even if you don't (as IF!!) at least you gave it a try.

I wrote a paper for my pysch class last semester on how athletes stay focused during competition, what negative influences lessen performances, and how to overcome them. Basically, what it comes down to is being aware of all those factors that seek to bring you down, or just simply having "mental toughness". Concentration IS all that!!

Outside distractions do play a factor in breaking an athlete's concentration, so I tend to agree with Velogirl. Leave your cheering section at home (or stash them in a place where you can't hear them during the race) and tell them to not approach you beforehand. You'll be nervous enough!

So, I wish you good luck and "mental toughness". Oh and remember, speed rules.....and girl racers ROCK!!!

~BikeMomma

[Tri Girl]

Good luck, and have a blast!!

[Eden]

How did it go?!

[TrekJeni]

How did it go?!

I'm copying and pasting what I wrote to some of my friends. Got to go to bed, so I can get up tomorrow and do HILLS with the boys. We are getting up super early to beat the heat.

THANK YOU GUYS SO MUCH!!!!!! I"M ADDICTED!


Okay, where to start.
Wanted to get there early enough to watch some of the Cat 5 / Citizen Men race. They started at 8:30 and I didn't start until 10:32. Got up to Mason around 9 and saw two laps of their race. No wrecks considering this is where the beginner men start. The little kids time trial was next. Boy did they look cute. Some of the little ones were dressed in full team kits riding nice road bikes, others were in their t-shirts and regular shorts, cruising around on beater bikes. All levels of talents. Very low key. Like all time trials, they were staggered starts so they were racing the clock and not each other.

It said in the paper, that registration was open one hour before your race start. Mine was at 10:32. I lined up and filled out my registration stuff, got my number and my one day racing license. A lady in front of me, when asked what she was riding in, said with a bit of arrogance and incredibly snotty, "NOT the beginners". "Well, listen here you stupid B#$%@! You were once me! You were a beginner too at one time! We all have to start somewhere!", I screamed inside my tiny little head.

I met some nice women racers who helped me put my race number on and they gave me a few tips. I told them I forbid any of my friends to come and they both said they still do that and they'd been racing for years! They even told me they would cheer for me, and did.

So then it was time for the Junior boys and girls (ages 10 -14), and Beginner Women to line up. In the WB division, there were three of us. The two were busy chatting away like old friends catching up. They were both members of Seven Hills Racing Team and the one was telling the other how her Ironman training was going. "Okay, no big deal, calm down Jen*, you're not in over your head" I said to myself. They saw me and introduced themselves. I asked the other one how many races she'd done before this one and she thought for a minute and said SEVEN. Okay, so now I'm starting to panic a little. I'm racing in a BEGINNERS race against and Ironman triathlete and a woman that has raced seven previous times. The two girls had a strategy. We would all take turns pulling and stay together. Sounded like a plan to me.


On your mark, get set, go!

There we were, flying down the road. I had trouble with my computer so have no idea how fast (or how slow) we were going. I was just going by perceived exertion. I knew I had four laps to do and I wanted to be fast but still have enough for the end. The wind was terrible, granting us a reprieve on only 25% of the course. There was one hill, that after ever lap seemed to grow. One that required me to stand on all four laps, but that's okay, gave my other muscles a chance to rest. Remember that strategy we had, evidently Ironwoman forgot about that half a mile in and left me and the other girl out to dry. I quickly abandoned "the plan" and headed out on my own. We women were lapping the slower Juniors and I never had an opportunity to draft. It was more like time trial stuff, so I hunkered down into the drops, tucked my head, and headed for home. By the fourth lap, I could feel the lactic acid begin to build. This whole race was pretty much 100% an anaerobic effort. "Come on Jen, you're almost there". I saw the finish line and thought, "okay now what am I supposed to do?" I mean really, I hadn't thought about that part. I had practiced fast starts in the parking lot warming up, but how was I supposed to stop? Was I supposed to break right after the finish line and get off the course? Sounded like a plan to me, so that's what I did. Found out later, you are supposed to do a cool down lap. Oh well. (Paul's probably laughing and shaking his head, I'm such a newbie!)

I had a blast. It's definitely something I would do again. Ironwoman went on to do the Open Women's event only to heave her cookies halfway through the second lap. Good try though. I was invited to hang out with the Seven Hills Racing Team. I have their application and will be sending it in. Sounds like a fun team to be on, and I'd been wanting to join them for awhile. Got to watch some really great racing.

I'm glad I'm female. I can't imagine being a male and trying to break into the racing scene by yourself. Guys just don't generally do as well welcoming new people to their sport. Very competitive. The girls on the other hand, were all pretty much very chatty and encouraging. It seems like a very family orientated sport. Many moms, dads, and kids raced, not to mention the moms and dads that supported their children. Hope you enjoyed my story!

Jeni

So, I got a really pretty red ribbon for coming in second!!!!!!!!!!!! It's funny that it meant so much to me, I show dogs and have TONS of ribbons and rosettes. This one I earned all by myself!