| Date/Location: | March 12th, 2016 – Zamora, CA |
| Distances: | 2 x 14mi loops |
| Place: | Cat 4, 15th (out of 24) |
| Teammates: | Brandi Cleland, Charity Marshall, Trixie Bradley |
What a beautiful day this year in Zamora, Ca…especially compared to last year’s raining day race! I get to race with my buddies, Charity Marshall and Trixie Bradley too! I don’t know how it’s going to go especially with running the Chanoko 31K the day before. I’d like to help Trixie place in the top 3. She won the Land Park Crit the day before which was part 1 to the ominium event. Bariani is part 2.
Troy has started his race already as the girls and I pull in to set up a viewing spot on course. As we head back to race headquarters to find Charity and Trixie, I see Troy pulling up in car and he’s waving me down. Uh-oh, that’s not a good sign. As he steps out I can now see some blood on his right arm. He pulls his bike off the rack on top of the car and the derailer looks demolished.
On the drive back to the headquarters where we can get medical attention, he tells me what happened. His front tire went flat without him realizing (the wide wheels with thin tire made it hard to tell) and he slid out on a corner. Fortunately he was in front so he didn’t take out other riders with him. My heart is sad for him especially with the tough week we’ve had with his dad…very perplexing all of it! Yet I feel God giving me a peace…and I think back to the verse God gave me at Chanoko yesterday…
We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. (2 Corinthians 4:8-9)
The medic says Troy is ok but one wound looks like it might need stitches. I offer to skip the race to get that done now but both Troy and the medic think it can wait. I really don’t feel like racing now but feel God telling me to go ahead. I tell Troy I’m going to be extra cautious out there and he says don’t.
I warm up on the road with Charity and a new Victory Velo teammate, Brandi Cleland while Trixie spins on her trainer. Charity and I check in with our families one last time and we all pray together. Praying for safety and also that I can help Trixie today.
To the start we go! It’s a big group, Women’s 4 and a new Women’s 5 category. Trixie’s teammate, Sara, is also racing and looking to help Trixie. We are sent off down the road in neutral which means not racing yet. Once we turn left.. it’s on! It’s 2 x 14mile loops!
We turn and you can feel the tension rising. I find myself in the middle of the pack. This always feels dangerous to be lost in the crowd. It seems like there is more braking and hollering than usual but maybe I’m just extra sensitive. Brandi, Charity and Trixie are all near the front looking good.
We turn right and go over the freeway. The next turn is what I’m paying attention to. Two of the three times I’ve raced here, the group takes off there. It’s a series of rough little roads with many little potholes and gravel. It makes me a bit nervous because Troy went down somewhere around there.
I’m in a really bad position, stuck almost in the very back, as we turn on the rough roads. I pick it up and move past some girls. Girls are shouting “hole” constantly but I don’t know where to look. Everytime I panic a little and frantically look around. Please God, no flat tires or crashes. I move up close to Brandi and Charity. Trixie and Sara look good up close to front.
By the time we get through the sketcy parts, I’m in a good position just off the top of the pack. I know Trixie talked about possibly breaking away and I watch to see if she goes…maybe I can help block some other girls from chasing.
We turn right and head back towards the start/finish. Nice tailwind here. A girl goes by on my left and so I go with with her. I get pulled up to the front and with Trixie and Sara. I smile at Trixie.
We turn right again and ride through the finish. One more lap. I wave to Troy and the girls. I’m actually feeling more strong and confident in my ability to be an asset to Trixie somehow. Thank you Lord for that!
Trixie, Sara and I are in the top 5 heading into the sketchy stretch. I’ve gotten a bit tired of just hearing “hole” get shouted out and not knowing where to look so I just start to point out the holes since I’m up front. I lift my right elbow way in the air and point my finger down so the pack can see. I hear some giggles…surely it looks ridiculous but it’s worth it.
Trixie takes the front and I come alongside her. I look at her and she looks at me and we both give each other a nod. We take off and try to make a run for it. Immediately I can tell my legs cannot sustain this kind of push for long. The group also responds and catches up quickly. Oh well! Will wait to see what she wants to do next.
Two girls get in front of us and we let them do the work. Sara comes alongside and asks if we have some sort of plan. We say no. I don’t want to say much to draw attention to us. I’m just trying to figure out what to do and I try to get clues from Trixie’s expressions.
We turn and are heading back to the finish. If there is going to be some sort of move made, the time is now. A girl with a plain jersey sneaks by on the right and takes off. We make chase and catch her. We are really flying with the tailwind behind us!
I get an idea to push the pace hard and get the other girls tired. If Trixie could sit in on my wheel she could get a break. I whisper to her to sit in and try to hold back. I then take the lead and push the pace. It seems like a good idea but the risk is that Trixie will work too hard…and I will totally explode…but I have nothing to loose! I feel really strong as I push. This is really crazy and unlike me to do such a move but it’s fun!
The final turn is coming! I know that this means I’m going to get creamed but it was still fun leading the group! I make the turn and try to keep up the tempo. Girls are screaming by me now including Trixie, Sara, Brandi and Charity. “Go Trixie! Go Charity! Go Brandi!”. Legs are dying! Trixie is trying to push hard but girls are still ahead. I shout again “Go for it Trixie!” She picks it up some. I have nothing to loose so I dig deeper and find I’m actually catching people. I pass Sara, Charity and Brandi. I cannot believe there is something left! I dig deep at the finish and just inch by and get one more girl. Wow, Thank You Lord! That was fun and safe! You rock!
I congratulate all the girls for their efforts! It was a good end to a tough day!
Now, it’s time to help Anna get in her 5 mile run and get Troy all fixed up!