Vance Creek

My first hilly RR of the year. Not so bad, actually better than last year were at lap 2 I blew up on the hill and got dropped. This year my goal was to not be the instigator of attacks I was to sit in ride smart and be patient. From the start I knew that two ladies would be taking off and I was pretty confident that know one would be able to catch them. The second time up the hill they simply road away from the pack. A second group of about 5 were chasing with one of my teammates in the group, the two up the road were both my teammate's so for me there was nothing for me to do but sit in. The group of five got reeled in on the flat section. Apparently the other teams failed to notice that we had no lead car thus the race was still up the road. I rider from another team came up to me and said we got them all back. I told her actually no, there is a break up the road, she was confused no she said we caught them. I told her "no I have two teammates that are long gone". She then said "hey we've got a break still up the road lets chase them down!" Good luck they are sooo gone. We stayed together and made our way up the hill the final time. I felt pretty good my back hurt some and I had to spin more than I am used to, not as much power especially when I would stand. Another one from my team pulled away from the group on the corner for the pack finish 1 2 and 3 for the day. Several more in the top 10. I didn't even see were I placed, for this race it simply didn't matter I finished with the pack I climbed better than last year and I road well just not aggressive. The race was good for learning and getting back to racing/climbing for me but it wasn't as much fun as playing with team tactics. There was no organization beyond the two that took off from the pack for our team. Mostly we all seemed to just be surviving and doing a fast ride not really a race. Good for training not what I consider a real race.

I think my teammates that disappeared up the road so fast that the rest of the ladies failed to even know they were gone are moving up to the 3's. I am very happy for them and I think they will do great. I saw that the 3's are getting their own scoring for the BARR this year, that is so cool, finally enough critical mass to start giving women in the category something to work for that is more attainable against their true competitive peers. They still race with the 1-2 but the separate scoring at least for the BARR races is definitely a step in the right direction. I also believe that when women can completely drop the entire field they need to move up, they are not learning how to race if they are in a solo break or with one other person. Their abilities are above the other women in the field and as great as it must feel to win it doesn't push them to become better racers. Hopefully the goal is not just to win for the sake of winning but to better yourself against those who are better than you. Every year there are new 4's that are more fit, stronger and faster than me. As long as I race I think this will the the case. But every year I see my own improvement and I know that eventually I will have that race that it all comes together, it may only be once but I am sure it will feel good.