Highlight of the post is the fact that I've done some sort of race every weekend since Easter. Yes, that's like 2 months of racing! I counted the training race at wells ave a few times as a weekend race. I had a few running races that went very well (PRs and top 5 finishes) and a bunch of cycling races. this is how i prefer to spend my weekends....races mean hanging out with cool people/pushing yourself running/biking whatever it is.
Myles Standish was my first real cycling race. I had NO IDEA what to expect. I pretty much just made it a goal to keep up with the group and not crash. mission accomplished...and a 9th place finish which wasn't too bad. Cycling is so different (which is why im so intrigued) than anything I have done race-wise. The first lap was me talking to myself saying "omg omg omg..that wheel is close to me. wait so is that one. crap crap crap." then i settled in a little bit. The whole strategy thing is something i still need to figure out. but isn't that the fun in it?
2nd race: blue hills (3 laps of 7ish miles). with the men cat 5. I took a leap of faith and thought why not. I need to toughen up and the only way to learn how to bike race is to jump into things you are uncomfortable with. so i did. I was the only woman in the whole race. I spent the first lap with the big group riding next to what looked like santa Claus. On the down hills, i continued my "omg omg omg im gonna die" thoughts in my head. I got dropped on the hill, then sprinted to catch back up to the group. got dropped again at the hill (do we see a trend here? i need to do some hill work). i spent the last lap with a few other dudes. super fun time though. and didn't get last.
3rd race: sterling. back with the women. This race i decided on the whim to just try something different. make myself uncomfortable, again. It was a strange first lap...a lot of people didn't seem to want to take charge. So, what the hell, i pulled a bit in the beginning. aka everyone gets to draft me. There was this highway stretch (kinda windy) with a hill at the end then another hill to complete a lap. I probably made a dumb mistake to pull the entire group the whole highway. but, again...it seemed like no one wanted to. I pushed my legs as hard as i could (apparently i split the group down) then just kind of died at the hill. I fell a little behind on the hill but still within catching up distance going into lap 2. the support car passed me, then i flatted. OF COURSE. i stood on the side of the road for a while. some guy stopped to make sure
i was ok and offered me bug spray. i stood so long I got bit by bugs. yes. i finally got a spare wheel then sprinted the rest of the lap trying to catch up (i managed to catch up to a few small groups). got pulled and didn't get to finish the last lap. oh well, stuff happens. I got a good workout in for the first lap!
you probably don't want to hear about my running races. oh just that I nearly puke/peed myself. oh wait. nevermind. I won't explain that.
oh and how about that one time I biked to a 10k, ran, drank beer, ate a hamburger, then biked home? wait, i won't explain that either.
On deck: reach the beach, killington stage race, purgatory road race, patriot half, brothers wedding, nothing in july yet, xterra stoaked, vegas 70.3, moab trail marathon. more to be added of course!
I honestly didn't expect to do too many hardcore triathlons, but I didn't mean to qualify for worlds last year. I am pumped that I did. but I thought I would be trying to do that this year. So here I am.....need to pretend to get serious again. I should start swimming. i moved my arms today in my room that seemed like swimming.
until next time!
