runs on sweet potato

eating sweet potatoes and riding my bike

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wausau24

about a month ago, my teammate kayci and i were out mountain biking. this was a fun and new discipline for us both. someone asked if i would ever race. "never" i replied, "i want mtb to be just for fun". kayci gave me a look like she knew i was a lie...

...and i was a lie and a half. 

the day after, erica from half acre posted that she was looking for 2 ladies to complete here 4 person team for a 24 hour mtb race in wisconsin. kayci and i both saw this and immediately agreed to join. we had one bike between the two of us, but double the excitement and ignorance. we went to palos south of the city as much as we could. we rode friends bikes and my bike and any bikes we could. about a week before the race we decided we would share my bike. this worked out so well - we didnt even have to adjust seat height. 

wausau24 is a 24 hour mtb race in wausau, wisconsin (they have 6hr and 12hr options too). teams are made up of solo, 2, or 4 riders for each of the distances. the day before the race we packed ericas car and headed out. kayci was about a week off of a beautiful ride from seattle to portland and i was a week off of intelligentsia cup. we were both well rested and stoked. 

we arrived to a scene that looked like an overrun family barbeque. campers and trailers and tents and popups and holes dug for fires and dogs, so many doggos of so many variety. we hung out for a while then said goodnight. mid 50s is perfect sleeping weather. 

the race had a late start of 10a. breakfast from a food truck, then suit up. we decided erica would go first because of the mass start. she has the most mtb experience. she lined her bike up about 200m from the start and waited at the line. a hoard of people came barging out of the woods, grabbed their bikes, and took the fuck off. so cool. erica rolled in at about 1h25m and did an epic slide out onto her bum. she recovered, tagged my hand, and i was off.

the course started with some wide double track. the first few trail sections were flowy and smooth. a bit sandy and loose, but down and uphill berms made up for that. i ate it once and threw my front wheel out of alignment - but was able to fix it and keep going. i drew blood, shits happening. i met a lady named lynn who was doing the 24h solo. she was a steady and smooth rider. i followed her for a bit and mimicked her lines and movements. the course opened back up into double track for a while. i rode this part as hard as i could. next couple of trails were killer. rock garden after rock garden. they started with some roots and small rock clusters. then there was a sharp turn into a very long rock garden. i was super nervous about this but was able to get through about 30% of super technical stuff. never ashamed to walk when it got rough. after the rock garden, the last few trails had some roots, smaller gardens, and nice gritty gravel floor. this opened into double track again into the finish line. 1h24m. nice. now to wait...

megan and kayci crushed of course with a 1h34m and 1h31m laps respectively.

once they finished, we chatted about doing double laps. i felt as if i was just warmed up about 2/3 through the lap and doing a double may benefit times. kayci agreed. both of our next laps were doubles and both yielded faster times. my second lap i rode about 70% of the rock garden and kayci even did her double in the dark, which, damn girl.

[photo: erica chianese]

my night lap was decidedly our slowest as a team. i was really dreading it and super sleepy and unprepared when erica rolled in. this was a big mistake. the saving grace of this lap was a man named dave whom i followed for half of my time out there. he was doing 24h solo and didnt mind the company. we chugged along at a safe and reasonable pace. thank you dave.

after my night lap i went to sleep and woke up around 730. erica had just started her final lap, and to our surprise, we were only 8min behind first place. going into the evening laps were were in a big deficit, but had made up a lot of ground. we could have one more lap after erica. i wanted to do it.

erica rolled in a bit before 9a and i tore out of the transition zone. “how come you dont call me anymore” by prince was sung at full volume the majority of this lap. it soothed me. it evened my motions. this was my fastest lap at 1h20m.

we came in 2nd place in our category of 24hour 4 person female team and we are dang proud of it. this race threw us on our asses and challenged us in new ways. the technical ability required meant speed only got you so far. even if you had the power to lay it down, losing it on corners or grabbing brakes too often would mean sure loss of speed. this type of racing forces you to work on your relationship between you and your bike, not just your ability to ride it. as erica said, it got to be a dance - a conversation between you and you bike, and the land. ugh i think mtb racing is fun.

finish: 2nd place in team category

http://www.primetimetiming.com/2017/Wausau24/teamdetails.php?teamid=109

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intelligentsia cup day 10: fulton market crit n shit

wow. the final day. i cant believe it already here.

i wake up to a text from usac saying theyre already outside. it 5:15am ok guys cool.

usac will be filming a racer profile with me for the final day of intelligentsia cup. they cam to my house last night and got sound bites as well as some video of a faux commute so we wouldnt have to do it all before the race.

[photo: michelle moore]

today though, they are following me to the race to film some final shots from my commute. i sent them a map of 3 common routes i take and we did a hybrid of shots from the lakefront path, to halsted, plus a couple of bridges and alleys, etc. it was kinda fun, and kinda anxious feeling. i wanted to get there by 8a to warm up.

we get to the race and they want some shots with the helmet rig. i buckle the helmet and hop on the course to ride with lauren and may. this thing is heavy. i feel slow. my mouth tastes like being sick is coming. 3 laps and i take the thing off. i need to focus on warming up. we rode around for not nearly long enough and went to the cwec tent to prepare.

usac was there and filmed me pinning my jersey, zipping it up, stretching, talking, staring. it was really hard to focus with them around. i didnt feel like i was in my zone, nor that i had the space to do so. but, the goal of filming with usac, for me, was to let women of color know they can race if they want to and they are welcome always - so my discomfort is an incredibly small price to pay.

at one point we looked up and there were all the comrades - bailey, jesse, aaron, shelby, morgan, jason, dan, also dan. plus alex and chase showed up too. that felt awesome. they all looked so great in their kits and their cheers and smiles were major fuel.

[photo: i forget his name]

we lined and got ready for the final race. may, lolo, and i were gonna do it. the bell rings.

may had already decided she was gonna go off the front. and 2 laps in she did. she pulled for about 3 laps and couldnt get back in the pack. i counter attacked. for some reason, it slipped my mind that attacking is supposed to create a gap so someone has to work. i p much just rode up to the font and sat there. not a really good move. i swerved off and fell back into the pack.

may attacked again. this time pulling for 2 laps. i counterattacked then the lady from wellfit did the same.

and then, may attacked a third time. this time sara from psimet and i jumoed a bit with her. the pack was still there, but very strung out. may pulled off and sara was on the front with 2 to go. she was screaming for her teammates (erin had a flat and vincci was a bit behind me). she pulled for a lap then the pack grouped up with one to go.

[photo: need to look it up...]

the pace livened. turn one. turn two. people are shifting on the back stretch. through the chicane. i yell for lauren to give it all shes got. tussles for placement into turn three. turn 4 and im on the inside. the sprint begins. lauren bolts away from me. lots of ladies bolt away from me. i try to dig. my legs feel like noodles. my brain isnt telling my hands to shift often or fast enough. i throw my bike a little, and its over.

i drank 2 beers.

finish: 12/34

finish omnium: 4/51

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intelligentsia cup day 9: lake bluff chicane sandwich

day nine!

i still have may as my teammate and we are gonna do our own thing today. race how we feel, read each other, and most importantly, have freakin fun.

we warmed up rolling around all the beautiful houses and smelling the damp, dewey air. it was beautiful out there. overcast and cooler.

the race started and following advice, i stayed towards the front. there weren’t many open stretches in this course - lots of turns, a chicane, more turns, and a false flat to the finish. there were a few attacks, a crash, i attacked, but mostly the pack stayed together.

the moment that sticks out most in my mind was a beautiful move made by 2 teammates in red and blue turin kits. with a little over 2 to go, lady 1 attacks and pulls for a while. her teammate sits about 3 wheels back. lady 2 then attacks with one to go. lady one sits in at about 5th wheel and ever so slightly, at each turn, slows down. we were on the backstretch before i realized there was a gap in the pack. and of course her teammate was up there. so beautiful. a few of us had to burn a match to close the gap 2 turns from the finish.

the false flat sprint went ok. i got passed and passed a few people. may got stuck in the back this race behind folks who didnt take the turns as aggressively. def a learning experience. she still crushed it tho.

finish: 8/25

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intelligentsia cup day 8: elmhurst crit with may!

finally. a teammate after days of racing alone. may is so strong and i was very very excited to race with her. driving to the race, we decided we would just do what we felt and try to get a read on each other. we both started racing crits this year and are still trying to find our strengths.

but! before the race we were approached about working together with another team to get myself and one of their riders in a break away. it sounded like a good deal, so, we took it.

the bell rings. we are riding. the plan is to break after the prime lap. $200 sunglasses on the line or whatever. we position ourselves to go. sure enough after the prime, the top three contenders sit up and drink some water. we attack and i grab her wheel. i could already tell i didnt have it in me. we do a few half lap pulls and one lady bridges the gap. the field is not far behind and she is not willing to work. in retrospect, we should have still rotated pulls and just left her on the back. but, i also wasnt feeling as capable as the other woman in the break. ah well.

may attacks and stays on the front for a long time. im yelling at her to get off, as is the team were working with. but, she doesnt hear me and the second wheel is great at sticking to her. at one point i went up to try and take her wheel - didn’t work. its gonna be a field sprint day.

im pooped.

finish: 9/22

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intelligentsia cup day 7: niles crit ft lots of in-race heckles

it rained a lot the night before and the whole morning to the race. i was feeling very sleepy and had a terrible breakfast sandwich at a corner bakery.

i arrived and warmed up on the north branch trail. that was really pretty. i went too far and got a bit lost, but made it back in time. the course is flat with some nice wide turns and very gentle curbs.

we line up and the gun goes off. i have decided today i will try to go off the front. i sit in for a while and a couple of attacks are launched and reeled back in. was close to breaking away with sara from psimet, but i accidentally pulled the field. was sitting towards the front for a noodle prime and won that. cool.

2 to go and i attacked after the start/finish into the first corner. they stayed on me and i pulled back. i yelled some crap and made some jokes then with one to go did a big pull off the front and did the whole last lap 25+. needless to say, i lost in the sprint as the field was very well rested.

in retrospect i 1 should not have told everyone my move, 2 got back in the pack and rested before the final lap attack, and 3 done bigger/harder pulls to get stronger breaks.

finish: 7/12

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intelligentsia cup day 6: west dundee criteriuuuuuummmm what?

so its day 5 and im starting to get a read on the field. didnt get to pre rride the course yesterday so made sure to get there early to scope it out. it’s a true criterium this time with some nice corners and swoopy downhill and a super punchy uphill to the start/finish.

fun.

the bell rings and we are off. psimet sends a rider and literally nobody goes. i am pained that i did not go. we sat up and sat up and sat up and finally judy attacks on the downhill. this grabs a bit of attention, but, couldnt be held into the uphill and she was reabsorbed. i attacked a couple of times at different points, but never got away. i called out to the other solo riders for help to reconnect with the breakaway, to no avail. the field sat up again and at one point was going 11mph. wow nice group ride us.

4 to go i dropped my chain. flipped the bike and got it back on and chased. the reconnect was not hard because 11 MILES PER HOUR. once i got back on i attacked in the hopes that they wouldnt expect it. mistake because the downhill is not the best place to attack. i tucked back in to get in place for the last lap.

the pace picked up but nobody made a move. judy jumped on the downhill and a few ladies grabbed her wheel. crap missed it. got caught behind a few slow corner-ers and couldnt make up the sprint.

i am bored and will try to go off the front tomorrow because why the heck not.

finish: 6/11

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intelligentsia cup day 5: elgin circuit

found a nice path near the course to warm up. got there a bit late so didnt get to pre-ride. i hear there are hills?…

there goes the bell and we ride away. some turns some little uphills. we bomb a downhill that is so flowy and fun and then there is a wall of a hill to greet us. so many clicks so little time. the climb is fun and i try to stay in my big ring the whole time. there is another set of turns into the finish. okay cool got it.

psimet launches some attacks but nothing is about to get away today. not after how this week has gone nah ah. every attack chased. and every wheel meant for their teammates was grabbed. i tried to attack with no luck. psimet sat on the front the rest of the race and pulled the field along. there was one point where vincci yelled at sara to get off the front. i chimed in with “ill let you pull all day!”. the laughter of sara and i was captured below. lol

[photo: m. van maldegiam]

the final sprint came and 3 riders that had been quiet all race had fresh legs and outsprinted those of us duking it out at the front. big oops. like real big oops.

finish: 6/12

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intelligentsia cup day 4: south chicago road race/crit

today the race is right down the street from me. its nice to be able to ride to the race, especially in such nice weather. warmed up on the hot dog crit loop and got to the line. nerves were low today because the field was small and also probably a but of getting used to racing so frequently.

we line up at the line. 3 psimet and a bunch of solo riders. this is gonna be fun. the bell rings and we’re off. the first couple of turns are pretty tame until we hit the headwind. psimet launches an attack that we chase down. the immediately launch a counter attack that is also chased down. they sit in for a while and wait for the headwind again. third attack from psimet and it sticks. it seems like sara was strong enough to hold it and she totally did. thats the one we needed to go for. psimet sits up and lets us decided to chase.

i waited for the tailwind and try to go. its not enough. back into the headwind and wellfit and i take turns pulling to reel sara back in. psimet did a great job of blocking the rest of the field from joining the pulls. the two of us could not reconnect alone and the pace slowed again. the last couple of laps were wellfit pulling and psimet sitting in. she tried to shake them, but couldnt. we turned the corner into the tailwind and the pace picked up again. it looked like an attack! i hopped on a weel and realized, wow, theyre going really hard! i looked up to the lap counter. it said “0”. shit. i missed the sprint. i tried to catch up and pass folks but was a second too late. such a rookie mistake. but also kinda funny.

overall felt good about the amount of work and my placement in the pack. save for the missed finish it was a clean race and i could feel that im learning more and more about reading what the teams and others will do.

finish: 6/12

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intelligentsia cup day 3: willow springs road race

the road race. 3 comrades were out for this day - liz, lauren, and myself. lauren seems to be feeling really good and liz was looking strong as well. i was feeling a bit defeated from the day before, but ready to give it my all with my teammates.

lauren and i did some warming up on the i&m canal trail and headed to the start line. our race was only going to be 2 laps, or 19 miles. disappointingly short for a team that has been training for the long haul. we wil make the best of it.

the bell rings and we turn right into the big climb. there is a qom on the line and i want to go for it. fat chance though, there are some super talented climbers in this race and the made it up before me. at the top though, all the comrades were nearby. heck yes.

we turned again into a kinda windy straightaway. the pack slowed up. it felt like a group ride. not attacks. no sudden movements. almost peaceful. then… LIZZZZZZZ! somebody shouted “here we go!” and liz shot up the left side for an attack. i pulled right to get ready to counter once the pack reeled her back in (which they quickly did). i launched a counter attack into a headwind that didnt stick. someone crossed wheels with lauren and went down. thankfully, they were ok and lauren stayed upright. nice handling lolo. we rolled through the finish. one to go.

the front group shot up the hill. i went to shift and lost my chain. thankfully it caught back on with some funny pedaling and shifty clicking and i headed up the hill. i could see lauren up in front of me with the lead group of about 10. they were pulling away fast. i got to the top of the climb and started to try to reconnect. a lady in orange pulled up next to me and we traded pulls and pick up a couple of riders along the way. a string of about 3 led by liz rolled up next to us and began the rotation to reconnect. we did so on the backstretch and the lead pack was going surprisingly slow. we all sat in and waited for someone to move.

i pulled up to lauren and liz and the three of us were side by side. in prime position to devise a quick plan and do a rad leadout to the finish. then, liz looks over and says “i have a flat”. im over here like no fucking way she has a flat she is just riding along with us, but yea she totally had a flat. she pulled over for neutral support.

in the last 4 miles the pace picked up, but nobody made big moves. it was a massive field sprint. lauren and i ended up 11th and 12th. not bad.

overall a fun race that would have been even more fun with a couple more laps. really glad to have raced with psimet and bff and union. it certainly kept things animated and challenging.

finish: 11/39

went mtb after the race that was nice.

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intelligentsia cup day 2: glen ellyn crit

this is the first day of the intelligentsia cup series. last year this time, i had just met ayesha and come to watch her race on the last day of intelli. i had 50 million questions about crits and was very confused by the whole thing. and now, here we are…

drove out to glen ellyn with liz and wow its gorgeous here. the course is around lake ellyn and has a few punchy little hills but also the smoothest windiest downhill (wow such a treat).

we lined up with the field. psimet had a good crew, as did bff. liz and i were just 2 for comrade, but figured we could do some damage. the bell rang and the race began.

liz and i were near the from and tried a few attacks in the first couple of laps. every one was reeled back in. a solo rider from wellfit attacked as well, but nothing stuck. psimet had a great hold on sending their freshest rider to bridge the gap.

there was one point where we all sat up 5 wide and looked around. strange. i went for a while and honestly burned myself out. between the frequent accellerations out of the turns and little attacks, i fell off the pack. liz was still up there though - good. but now she had to fight alone - not good. (note: use your gears, esp coming out of turns)

i spent the last bit of the race trying to reconnect, very unsuccessful.

afterwards we learned the psimet predicted we would be spicy and try to break away. their plan all along was to keep us in check. but, we made them work for it. racing with them is a lot of fun.

oh also im doing the whole series i decided after this race. wow, also ouch.

finish: 18/?

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race: dirty kanza 200

the race we set out to do.

in november of 2016, 7 women decided we would race dirty kanza on single speeds. in previous years, the ss womens category was non-existent due to “low registration”. this year, they said they needed 8 to create a separate category, so gabbi and allison got to work recruiting women with a simple facebook post. and it worked. (note: this isn’t to be taken lightly. allison is such a big part of why this all happened. she is, as the #200women200miles roundtable put it, a true community leader. no lie.)

for the next 5 months we rode. we rode in chicago and the driftless and at landrun, and hellkaat hundie, and the epic. we had meetings to arrange support crews and plans. we made bandanas to raise money and threw a party to do the same. we ate so many tacos and too many gummy bears (sike u cant eat too many gummy bears). we spent almost every weekend riding together. and when we weren’t riding together, we sure as heck were thinking about it. quickly, we became very good friends.

wednesday before the race our fellow comrade chris drove to chicago in his gleaming white vw eurovan to act as our support crew. chris sent numerous detailed spreadsheets for us to fill out and has an insane breadth of knowledge that makes him not only inspiring to be around, but the perfect guy for the job.

we left out early thursday morning for emporia, ks with 4 comrades and 4 bikes tetris-ed into the eurovan. the drive was easy. we picked up my mom, wanda, in kansas city, mo to act as the other member of our support crew. the team was assembled.

friday was filled with course recon and prep for the big race. some highlights include:

1 a jeep painted like the jurassic park jeep with an adorable dog (we nicknamed her clever girl) parked outside a family video (people still rent movies!)

2 dozens of swallow nests under the interstate bridge. they swooped and flew all around

3 the #200women200miles roundtable. made up of 6 super strong women who had conquered kanza in the past. they gave advice for women and men alike. the thing that stayed top of mind was “no matter how you’re feeling (good OR bad), it wont last”. hopefully ill make another post about that...

friday night we packed our vans (sweet potato tacos, check). laid out or clothes (shorts and jersey, check. no need for warm layers, we finally made it!). and said goodnight. [photo: bailey newbery]

3:50am and we are walking to the dining hall for breakfast. i saw lauren and elizabeth already there and sat down with them. kayci soon followed. oatmeal, yogurt, coffee, banana. 5:00am we are at the start line. i had another cup of coffee and anxiously waited. it was a beautiful day. the sky was a rich pastel and folks spirits were like fireflies.

at 6:00am “3...2...1...GO!” at that moment “roll out” by ludacris blasted over the speakers. sidenote: the morning of landrun, jen and sean woke our room up with this song. it was fuel throughout landrun and it was certainly a major hype up at dk. cocked back...

the first 50 miles were fast. i tried to stay on pace with the field, losing folks on the flats and gaining spots on the hills. there was a pretty rock section about 20 miles in and *gong* - rim slap. i pulled over and changed my front flat. kayci, elizabeth, mary and kelsey, and lauren all rolled by. each calling out with a “u good?!”. dang they are awesome.

okay. flat fixed, got rolling. 5 miles later *gong* - another rim slap. from rim again. damnit i thought. i fixed the flat, and, knowing that i had no more tubes in my bag, looked back at the spot where it happened. i watched rider after rider hopping a little over the jagged edge. right. okay. time to jump shit.

rolled into the first checkpoint and chris, brandon, and ma were setup in plain sight. they lubed my chain, gave me a couple more tubes. swapped my water bottles and asked one simple question “who believes in you?!” - “dinosaurs!!!!” and then i busted out. [photo: gravel guru]

i knew i had to make up time so i was spinning fast. save for another flat (this time rear), the second 50 miles went pretty quickly. it was punctuated by a climb around mile 70 called ‘the bitch’. we approached the climb and the group of men in front of me spun up. they looked like they would climb, but abruptly stopped. “cmon guys!” i yelled. i steered around them and continued to weave my way up the hill. once they all realized i was on a single speed they were yelling and encouraging me like hell. how freaking cool. this is why the heck gravel is the best.

at the second checkpoint, kayci and brandon both recommended i raise my tire pressure. this was the best advice in the world as i didnt get another flat the whole race. i ate a sandwich, stretched my back, and put in my headphones for some music time. big mistake. [thats chris, brandon, and my mom, wanda]

the third leg was 60 miles and was the hardest riding has ever felt. the music began to freak me out because i couldnt hear my bike. i had to turn it off and just relax. after that, some extremely low mental lows and super high mental deliriums happened. i talked to cows and to myself and to a few other riders. i sang aloud and laughed at god knows what and let my mind go free. lol. that final checkpoint was more than welcomed. less than 50 miles to go.

at the last stop i ate and had a tiny coke and a cold brew coffee. i was feeling amped and super capable. i wanted to make up more ground. i tore out of the check point and passed a screaming bobby wintle “GO GET IT”... “hell yea”.

the last segment went fast. the most notable part was a bit of mind tricks. i was convinced that my legs no longer belonged to me, they belonged to the land. i had no control over how they felt and so i just let them go back into the dirt. this proved to be very useful - it gave me a sense of freedom for having to think about the job that still had to be done. with about 6 miles to go, i saw the “EMPORIA” watertower. my eyes welled with tears. i choked them back, convincing myself they would waste energy. the final climb, weaving through emporia state campus, and then there was the finish chute. i could not hold the tears anymore. i cried and sprinted as hard as i could.

i made it. WE made it. allison was there to greet me. we hugged and she told me she got third! i hugged her harder. even more hugs came in and, best, a hug from my mom. she was the best support i could have asked for. and (keep it secret) she wants to do the 25 mile kanza next year. *he he he...*

the rest of the ladies rolled in - kayci, kelsey and mary, lauren, and elizabeth. WE ALL FINISHED. 207 freaking miles. it’s indescribable that feeling. the feeling of knowing that the women in front of you have poured their hearts into something, and then achieved it. they are strong and beautiful. they are persistent and giving. lucky does not begin to describe how i feel to be a part of it all.

this race has not been a race against each other or even the clock, but against ourselves. to see how strong our minds and bodies are, and where they can take us. the answer is undoubtedly, anywhere.

finish: 5th place single speed women (15hours 03minutes)

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race report: hellkaat hundie

we left for dorr, michigan friday afternoon. it was the first trip with jusy my teammates, and i was very excited. allison, lauren, and alex joined me in ole blue for the trip. thankfully, lauren pitched in a few weeks before to help me purchase a third rail for the roof rack. with three up top and one in the trunk, blue has a surprising 4 bike 4 person capacity. s/he can really haul.

we got in kater than expected but were greeted by another teammate in grand rapids, chris. i hadnt met chris before, but in true comrade form, he is was a welcoming and friendly guy. we quickly said hello, settled in, and went to sleep.

the next morning we all woke up around 445a to prep. the temperature was about 35 degrees and oredicted to rise to 60 degrees. picking race wear with that range was tough, but i ended up wearing knickers, a long sleeve wool shirt, waterproof shell, and cycling cap. on my hands i wore padded gloves plus sealskins - which sounds overkill, but after landrun i would rather err on the side of caution/overheating. i cooked a few tacos for the race and one for breakfast. we loaded up and headed to get coffee.

the race started in a the parking lot of 5 lakes brewery. true to gravel races everywhere, it was overwhelmingly older white men. cool. we unloaded the car and got our bikes ready to go. looking around we saw only a couple other women on single speeds (one of which was doing the 50 mile race). i expected to see more, though hellkaat is still growing. kaat and her partner made pre race announcements, led us out in a neutral start, and off we went.

the field started pretty quick as most people were on geared bikes. we mostly stayed together for the first 10 miles, occasionally splitting off in twos. there was a breaking point for me and i spun up to get going. after about 15 miles my legs were warm and feeling very good. i spent most of the time up until the mile 47 checkpoint letting my mind drift and making sure i never got comfortable. that was my goal for this race, dont be comfortable. if at any point i felt like i was on a leisure ride then i was forgetting what i came to do: race.

at mile 47 i refilled on water (i drank 2 - 22oz bottles so far), made another skratch labs bottle, and unwrapped a taco to eat. figured i should keep rolling and eat on the go. even if im going slow while eating, at least im moving. i was happy to be at about 3 hours, and hoped to replicate that pace in the second half… until… headwind.

the second half of the race had so much headwind. headwind and hills and also hills. i think the majority of the climbing happened in the second half. which, for mental stability, was awful. i hit a big wall at mile 65 that took a lot of positive self talk and chance the rapper lyrics to overcome. also knowing that the next stop wasnt far (plus that i would allow myself to eat gummy bears at that stop) helped me push through. note: give yourself rewards for motivation during a race

right before the second stop i rolled up on a group of guys out of grand rapids (GR grit). one guy was on an ss and the rest on nice gravel bikes. i rode with them until the rest stop. while taking a break i asked the ss dude what his gear ratio was. one of the other men realised i was riding ss and went from feeling good about himself, to feeling bad. he said to the ss dude “sounds like you need to grow a pair”. i was like “nah man… sounds like yall need to lose a pair”. they laughed and shutup.

rolling out from that stop and into a woodsy single track feeling road was a great boost. dodging holes and whizzing past trees was a really great change in scenery. the guys caught back up with me and we rode until about mile 90. they picked it up and said goodbye.

the last 10 miles was pretty chill. i could have pushed myself harded, but was running low on energy. i definately didnt eat enough. note: make it as easy as possible to eat, like, too easy to eat. pre-open everything and set it right within reach.

overall a really fantastic weekend with my teammates. excited to spend times with the ladies and loved meeting chris. 10/10 would do again.

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skyway crit: day four

this is the final day of the skyway crit. it is windy, but warm. and i am tired. today, i will not pull.

rode down to the race and hung out in the fieldhouse. seems like a pretty big turnout for the last day. my legs feel heavy, but i am ready to give them a spin. rode around the park for a bit to warm up. i think i’ll race with the legs out today.

we did a test lap together, just like all the other days, then lined up at the start. today there were more psimet and bff than any of the other days. and a few new solo ladies as well. the whistle blew and we rode into the headwind.

off jump, a strong group broke from the pack. i ended up in a small group of 4 behind them, and there was an even larger group behind us. i knew if i stayed back, there was no chance of placing well. i jumped to bridge the gap on the backstretch - there was a huge tailwind here. if i didnt make it to them before we hit the headwind, i would have to recede back into the second group. i made it. and stayed on their tail (note: pay attention the entire race. dont zone out at the beginning).

over the next few laps there was quite a bit of jostling for draft and a lady in purple pulled a whole lot. she won the prime lap and then took off, never to be seen again (she won). the pace of the lead pack was largely determined by bff elizabeth and spidermonkey anna. they are seated 1 and 2 for the omnium. there were a few other super strong bff riders that pulled along the way.

the bell lap rung and the pace picked up. i shifted to stay with the pack. there were about 5 of us at this point. we hit the backstretch and folks got in position to sprint, or rather, position to draft into the headwind then sprint. a bff attacked and elizabeth grabbed her wheel, i quickly followed, as did sara from psimet. sara egged me on for the final sprint. i appreciated that (note: encourage folks).

we turned the last corner into the headwind, tucked in, and sprinted. it was a long stretch to the finish. i felt my legs pulling and pushing, but felt i was gaining no speed. i shifted to spin higher. ah, so this is what “the right gear” feels like. my legs got moving and for the first time, i passed someone during the sprint. this was, by far, the best feeling finish of the series. (note: dont mash a sprint, spin up).

for my first criterium series, i feel awesome. bff and psimet both have amazing teams. riding alongside them and watching their moves has been a serious crash course in crit racing. it takes not only strength, but smarts, planning, and a bit of stubbornness to be able to race crits effectively and consistently. thats what im most happy about, consistency. i didnt win a single day, but showed up and raced them all as best as i could. it landed my in 3rd place omnium - i aint complaining.

finish: 4th

finish omnium: 3rd

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skyway crit: day three

woke up and the forecast was like “RAIN”. dang.

after work, i rode the train home and ate some leftovers, put on my warmest waterproof pants and sweater and coat, and rode down to calumet park. didn’t feel so bad with all the gear on.

after storing my stuff in the locker room, i hung out in the vestibule with bff. someone brought latex gloves, which i assumed would help with wet hands (i was wrong). chris came to watch and had to be about the only spectator that day (super points). wind + rain + cold = everybody just stay at home.

today the direction of the course was reversed to run clockwise. we did a group lap then lined up at the start. i tried to adjust my gears and my chain dropped. i flipped my bike over to put it back on. the bell rung - and, bike still upside down - i flipped it and got rolling. weird start. (note: get into the right gear before the start line)

we started into a headwind that nobody wanted to pull into. but, a wheel emerged on the backstretch and we got in line. second lap was a prime and christine took off. i led the chase (headwind 1) to catch. we caught her and elizabeth smartly counter attacked on the backstretch and got away from the group. the rest of the pack sat on anna’s wheel and tried to make her work, bff was adamant about this. she slowed way down which gave us all no chance of catching elizabeth. (note: counter attacks can be real effective)

with the leader swerving into the headwind to get us off, i got sick of it and charged ahead (headwind 2). i was quickly caught by some smart ladies and just got reabsorbed into the pack. they kept me on the front though, and i pulled for another lap (headwind 3). after a lap of rest, i tried to attack on the backstretch and was caught again (note: work on sprints).

so im at count 3 on pulling into the headwind. not at all a smart decision, but i like to think its making me stronger, even if im not winning the race right now. (note: at some point you have to stop this)

on the last lap, a bff did a huge pull on the backstretch that was supposed to be for a teammate, but she missed it and several other ladies jumped on. i fell off the back a little and was working pretty hard to stay on. we turned into the headwind and i couldnt catch a wheel. there were about 3 little groups of 2-3 riders sprinting towards the finish. i felt myself slipping back and just stood up to give it the last of my body. at this point, shifting wasnt an option - my hands were numb and frozen in place (note: waterproof gear).

tomorrow is the last day of the skyway crit. attacking was fun and tiring. so i will try more of that.

*photo by: ronit bezalel

finish: 7th

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skyway crit: day two

the weather was much better this day. high 40s and not a drop of rain. rode to work and back home to shake out my legs and warm up. ate a quick snack and switched bikes then rode down to calumet park.

much more people - both to spectate and ride. the mens 4/5 race went off as i arrived. and my teammates were there! allison, lauren and dan came to watch. jesse, rob, and dan s came to race. it felt good to have comrades there, really good.

after the mens race we all did a test lap so new folks could see the course. psimet had a much bigger team this time, as did bff. there were just a few other riders riding solo as well. for day two, they separated the cat 4 and cat 5 racers and scored us separately. we also weren’t allowed to work together, which, seemed strange.

the bell rung and off we went. someone immediately started pulling and i got in line. just like yesterday, my goal was to float in the top 5 the whole race. after about 3 laps, elizabeth broke away from the pack. she looked super strong out there. someone was like “she is getting away” and i was like “go get her”. but i must have been talking to myself because then i did a big pull and the group followed. after about a lap a lady from psimet took another pull (thank goodness) and we were right on elizabeths tail. caught her.

there was a counterattack after that. her wheel was quickly caught by the pack though. for the next few laps there was quite a bit of jockying and elbowing for wheels. these ladies were not at all afraid to use some body in trying to assert their spot. it was a weird feeling at first to make contact while moving so fast - racing cx, if you elbow and fall, its no big deal - but i quickly got used to it.

the bell lap rung and the pace picked up quite a bit. everyone was riding faster, but nobody was riding fastest. it felt like a group hesitation. right before the last turn, the group started to sprint. holding my speed proved too hard and was passed by quite a few ladies with really strong finishes. christine gave me some sprinting tips after, which i will put to use tomorrow.

the podium ended up spidermoney, psimet, and 3 bff (not particularly in that order).

after changing in the locker room, i walked to a surprise - i won the prime! the lap where i pulled happened to be the prime lap, and not a single one of us heard the bell. ha!

overall a great second crit. learned a lot and really starting to feel my legs. the cat4 ladies are really pushing everyone to be better and work harder, and its rad. for tomorrow, i want to work on trying an attack. we’ll see…

finish: 6th

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skyway crit: day one

it is rainy and cold and probably not the best day for a crit but here we are. i have never raced a crit before and am very nervous. lots of strong racers have given me really great advice, maybe the most important being “get in your big ring”.

in the locker room, i learned that quite a few ladies came down and went back home because of the weather. understandably so.

we lined up and did a test lap so everyone could see the course. then lined up at the start. “stay in the top 5. you’ll be on the nerve. you can follow an attack if you need to.” this drove my entire race strategy. the first lap was quick with everyone sorting out where to be. i didnt hold my line well in a few turns, and almost took out a few people, but ended up ok.

it was hard to figure out what wheel to grab and when to pull. tried a few different follows, some of which put me out in the open to pull. oh well. there was also a surprising amount of talking and egging folks on happening. i chuckled a bit.

at some point a group of 3 broke away. it was a mix of bff and psimet. it looked like they could keep it, but, no way. i get why the other ladies wouldn’t chase their teammates, but couldn’t just let it happen. i started a chase and they were reabsorbed into the pack.

more place jockying then the final lap. the pace picked up and off we all went. before the last turn it seemed like everyone was going too slow, so i sprinted - too early. i was 3rd heading into the last corner and fell to 5th during the final sprint. lesson learned.

overall it was awesome. never thought that road racing would be so much fun. its an interesting mix of strength, strategy, and reading other humans (other humans that are very talented and strong and smart, so, not very easy). looking forward to working a little less tomorrow and improving my sprint.

finish: 5th

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summer chi eves