Tuesday Night Twilight Criterium #4

Id decided that if my racing was going to improve Id need to either be more aggressive in the second race or do both the second and third races. No more sitting in!

So after just a few laps, a Team Swift kid goes off the front. Now Eric Wright rides for Organic Athlete, but I knew he was sympathetic to the Team Swift cause, and sho nuff, he was on the front doing a good job of putting on the brakes. I moved myself up, and tried to jump across. The problem is that my efforts to jump across a gap amount to just the slightest bit of extra effort for these guys, so I was pulling the pack right along with me. So there I am at the front, after a tough effort, and Jim calls a prime lap. I find myself slipping back...3rd position...5th position...15th....30th...back of the pack. Groveling. Gasp. Okay, maybe my plan to be agressive was overzealous. Its brutal up there at the front! Why didnt someone warn me???? I then spent about 15 minutes recovering. With three laps to go, Laurel entices me to move up and get in a good position for the finish. Im glad because I would have just languished at the back and sat up in the last corner (this is my trademark....but not this time! Im an aggressive rider, remember?). So I followed Laurel up through the pack, and I had a good strong finish.

And then I lined up for the 3rd race! Good grief, what had come over me? Rita from Arete and a woman from Village Peddler had lined up too, so I had comrades. I lasted about 10 minutes. Shannon made the point that next time, Ill last 11 and then 12 minutes. At this rate, when the season is over I will be able to complete a little more than 20 minutes of this race.

-Claire

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