Whitney's UW Race Report

This past weekend, I completed my third to last (antepenultimate?) collegiate bike race weekend.  Overall it was an amazing weekend, with amazing performances by all of my teammates and the other teams. Following the style of Molly and Mackinzie, I will post my thoughts over the weekend as highlights:

• So ecstatic to have successfully descended the road race course SIX times in wetter and nastier conditions than last year (where I crashed out on the descent at 30 mph).
• Due to Molly's dad donating his rain coat to me during the race weekend, first rainy race of the season where I did not become hypothermic and have to drop out because of uncontrolled shivering on the bike. (As my teammates frequently say, I REALLY need to put on some body fat.) 
• AMAZING hip massage by my teammate, Mackinzie Stanley, that helped alleviate a lot of the hip tightness and pain that has been plaguing me for over a year now.
• Unknowingly was able to motivate Mackinzie Stanley to stick with the Men's B pack (see her blog post http://whitmancycling.blogspot.com/2013/04/mackinzies-uw-race-report.html).
• It was nice to have teammates to race with this weekend (and the previous two race weekends), despite the fact that Women's A deserves their own race. Mackinzie, Eli, Molly, and Rachel all pushed me to stick with the Men's B pack despite going completely anaerobic on multiple occasions and barely being able to continue biking.
• Awesome to watch all of my teammates crush it in the road races and criteriums with no major crashes or injuries.
• Had the opportunity to watch the Nesbit siblings (Ryan and Kristin) race at the same weekend!!!
• Amazing homestay (Don and Gail Rudee) 
• Amazing chaperone and honorary team mechanic (Justin Bannerman)
• Seeing our team rally to stay optimistic and happy despite torrential downpours.
• Seeing Rachel and Luke do modified Karoake songs with dance routines to help our Women B riders warm up for their crit!!

Overall as I read Molly's and Mackinzie's race reports saying "WOW, what a weekend", I was reminded of this quote that summarizes the weekend perfectly for me: 

Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming, "WOW, What a Ride!" - Unknown 

Getting ready for our awesome TTT!!