What a race weekend..so many ups and downs (literally and
figuratively). I think I’m going to adopt Molly’s strategy of just listing
highlights, instead of trying to coherently connect a million different random thoughts:
- First weekend racing in the A’s!! With all the nerves and excitement that came along with it.
- Driving around the road course and being able to enjoy the beautiful scenery in the surrounding area-mountains that shot up like cliffs, wooded hills, and twisty roads!
- Being so amped and positive the whole road race and at the same time push myself to farther limits than I have since last summer.
- Racing with a huge group of riders and seeing more about how pack and team tactics play out and observe more of the dynamics of the pack.
- Making new friends with the guys in the men’s B pack.
- I’m pretty sure that was hail that pelted us on the third time down the descent…and it rained enough during the first few laps alone that I think I would have been less wet if I had jumped into a lake. So basically I was feeling pretty badass.
- Not feeling cold the entire time I was racing (in all of the races)!!!
- Speeding down the awesome windy descent to catch back up the men’s B peloton on the fourth lap after coming close to blacking out at the top of the wall from exertion.
- Having Whitney pass me on the wall the first time up and make some comment that suddenly made it impossible for me to do anything other than grit my teeth and dig in deeper in order to keep up.
- Riding the last lap with one of the guys who dropped his chain, instead of having to solo it to the finish.
- Getting first in the road race and then not really realizing it until I spun out and back by myself on one of the side roads to cool down and I suddenly couldn’t stop smiling.
- Riding the TTT with Lizzy and Rachel, even though it meant getting back into wet bib shorts and shoes and required giving myself a major pep talk. I had so much fun and I think it’s been our best TTT yet! Lizzy was taking pulls that proved she is getting back up to speed fast and Rachel rocked it up those hills even though it’s not her strong point.
- Riding off the front of the crit for most of the last three laps, even though it didn’t really work out in the end.
- Borrowing Alberto’s huge rubber rain jacket to wear over the five layers I already had on in order to stop shivering after my crit.
- Tent City!!! Wow, what can I say…I didn’t even know tarps came in that size.
- The warm shower Saturday night (I was finally warmed to the core) and the ability to dry all my bike clothes.
- Hearing about everyone else’s adventures racing in the rain and seeing the success and smiles on faces as people came off the course, especially as they put on dry clothes and warmed up.
- As usual, the laughter, support and entertainment from everyone on the team. You all make the race weekends something I look forward to with an amazing amount of joy and enthusiasm :)
- Lastly, I just want to say THANK YOU to everyone who contributes to making these weekends so awesome-all the prep work before hand, organization and helping hands during the weekend, homestays, chaperones, etc.
Thanks for reading
Mackinzie
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