Wente Vineyards Race Report:

This was a hard race...from the start of my warm-up to that last little bit to the finish. I woke up feeling taxed, tired, and nervous but ready to go. Hubby Ti and my little snotty monster Marley of course accompanied me and do SO well in being my bitches for the day. I was swigging down coffee and GU to get rid of the heavy feeling in my legs and was rushing to fix a broken cleat that Id been riding with since Copperopolis. I handed my shoes to Ti so he could put on my brand new cleats! Wrong! They were the wrong kind and didnt fit my pedals...okay, I guess Ill have to do with my half broken cleat. So, we roll out and Im quickly finding myself at the front. Thats okay I thought because I wanted to help out Chandra. The first lap was pretty uneventful, the climb was nothing big and the descent was fun. Comin around to the start of the second lap-at the front again still-I notice this little bee next to me (Endurance PTC girl in yellow and black) I notice shes eyeing me and Im thinking, "Okay, wasp, you want to play?" So she cranks it up going up the start of the hill and Im right there with her, but everyone is filing into a pace-line and Im left on my own next to her, trying desperately to weasel my way in and conserve against the headwind. Two girls told me "nope" when I gestured I was moving in, so thats when I just went for it and got in. The Endurance gal attacked when the climb increased in pitch and I was right there with them...in the big chain ring. I thought it felt a little rough. I quickly change gears but my cleat fails and I disengage from the pedal, losing momentum and then struggling desperately to close the gap that is drawing between those girls and myself. Suddenly, Im all alone. Not with the breakaway, not with the main peloton either. If only my legs would just push harder, but I was gone. Heart rate through the roof and my legs aching, I figured it was over for me and was in a bad mood. I was working so hard, and then I look behind myself and see about 4 girls right on my tail. I gesture then for them to take the front, but they wouldnt. I gesture again, and again until I said "F-it" Im just going to slow down then. Finally they took it and started saying "Good pull, nice pull". Yeah, yeah...want to sit in on me some more?? So, we worked a paceline and Ms. Sweet Cheeks Chandra is right there with us spewing out her smarts and encouraging me to finally eat something. We finally get to the sprint up the hill and I am just done. Ti drove by yelling at me to stop doing all the work, and I almost got off my bike to sulk at that point. I managed to pass some girls on the up-hill, coming in 6th. I was in a foul mood for the rest of the day. Hard race. I worked hard, tried to win, got caught, got beat, learned more, had fun.

- Camper Van Tanya

2008

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