Elkhorn

Wow! Never did I think I could suffer so much and want to go do it again. Winning for me is obviouly not why I race my bike although I wouldn't be opposed to the idea. Weekends like Elkhorn are why I race my bike. Challenge, physically and mentally I didn't know if I would survive this race and with only 4 miles to the finish both challenges became acute. The specifics of the race are limited since I was never a contender for much, it ended up being a weeknd of TT's really, not only for me. What little time I did get to actually race I enjoyed, the women were strong and handled their bikes well. I got to experience my first pee breaks, although they hurt me by being the last person back on my back the first day and having to sprint to catch back on on new chipseal (not sealed) right before the first climb unadvertised. I survived, barely, with a higher max HR than I have ever seen on my bike, dizzy and ready to puke. The next climb I made it about 1/2 way up and began to get very dizzy and could only concentrate on keeping my bike upright. I got some encouragement from Martha but I was done and I knew it. Thank goodness for the scenery what a beautiful ride.

iTT ugh! I need to practice this I never do well I don't know why.

Crit I love crits! I am starting to get the hang of this. I get off the line fast and gun it. In the future I need to think about conserving energy more don' ttake on the roll of pulling 1/2 of the 1/2's to the leaders along with the 3/4's let someone else do that! Move up move up move up hold a wheel get out of the wind. I am getting it.

101.2 miles to Dooley Mountain I am counting the .2 that my odometer read because I was whatching every .01 tick over for the last 4 miles. Started the race with bad saddle sores and worse yet a GI issue that never got better durring the race. Got dropped on the first major climb, no surprise. Thought I could catch a couple of women I saw ahead of me but took a water feed bumbled the bottle and came to a standstill in the last section of the climb whatching my teammate dissapear around the corner. Dang it would have been nice to ride with her. Stopped for my own pee break this one was successful didn't know I had stage fright until this weekend. Both pee breaks were a waste with the for me couldn't go and it expended extra energy right before a climb both times. Always learing...

The final 8 miles of this race were the hardest miles I have ever done on a bike. It was hot, 90+ by the end of the day. My body was exhausted my arms hurt my foot was cramping the GI was still cramping my legs were shot. At mile 97 I started to cry momentarily which made me laugh I couldn't belive that I had been brought to tears! My laughing didn't last long returning to crying and stopping my bike. I can't do it I thought for a second, all this way and I am going to quit now? Well no I couldn't It was going to take a while but I was going to finish. A master rider passed me and stopped himself in the one spot of shade up ahead. I got back on my bike and passed him. He cought up to me (not a difficult thinkg to do at that point) and asked if I was OK I told him I would survive. He then asked again are you sure you aren't reaching a critial state? I said yes just wishing I was 4 miles further up the road. Eventually I made it with people cheering me on. How great to be so far off the back and still get that kind of reception! What a great race.

I caught a ride down to Baker with Claire Hopson, she was great and very supportive of keeping the women's feild alive for next year. I'll be there I told her and I will try to get others to join me.